Smaller Wood Nymph
Common NameSmaller Wood Nymph
Scientific NameCercyonis pegala
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilySatyrinae
Wingspan (mm)60
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsbrown, black, yellow
HabitatMeadows, grasslands, open woodlands, forest edges
Geographic RangeNorth America
Host Plantsbig bluestem, little bluestem, switchgrass, fescue
Flight PeriodJune to September
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host grasses. Larvae feed on grasses and overwinter as partially grown caterpillars, pupating in a chrysalis in the spring.
Identification TipsLook for the overall brown coloration and the prominent, often yellow-ringed black eyespot on the forewing. Its flight is typically low and somewhat erratic.
Description
A medium-sized brown butterfly with a large, often yellow-ringed black eyespot on each forewing, and sometimes smaller eyespots on the hindwings.
