Little Wood Satyr
Common NameLittle Wood Satyr
Scientific NameMegisto cymela
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilySatyrinae
Wingspan (mm)42.5
Wing Patterncryptic
Primary Colorsbrown, gray, black
HabitatWoodlands, forest edges, clearings, fields near woods
Geographic RangeEastern North America, from southern Canada south to Florida and west to the Great Plains
Host Plantsorchard grass, poverty oat grass, centipede grass, various other grasses (Poaceae)
Flight PeriodMay to October (typically two broods)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host grasses. Larvae are green with faint stripes and overwinter before pupating. The chrysalis is typically green or brown.
Identification TipsLook for the characteristic mottled brown and gray underside with small, often ringed, eyespots. Its flight is low and erratic, often seen flitting among grasses in shaded woodland areas.
Description
A small to medium-sized butterfly with a mottled brown and gray underside, featuring small, often indistinct, dark eyespots, particularly on the hindwings. The upperside is generally plain brown.
