Identification
Adult: on upperside, has two yellow-rimmed eyespots on each wing; on underside, forewing has two spots that are much larger than the other spots (if any), and hindwing has two large spots and several small spots
(
see CBIF image showing upperside on left, and underside on right)
Larva: body light greenish-brown with dark dorsal stripe and alternating brown and yellowish lateral stripes; surface covered with small bumps, each bearing a short reddish-brown hair; head dirty white, and "tails" light gray
Range
eastern United States and southeastern Canada: Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Texas and eastern Wyoming, north to Saskatchewan
Habitat
near woods or shrubby areas
Season
adults fly in June and July in the north; from March to September in the south
Food
larvae feed on grasses, including
Orchardgrass (
Dactylis glomerata),
Kentucky Bluegrass (
Poa pratensis), and
Centipede Grass (
Eremochloa ophiuroides)
adults occasionally feed on sap or on flower nectar, but are usually seen resting on leaves
Life Cycle
one generation per year in Canada; two or three farther south; eggs are laid singly on grass blades; overwinters as a fourth-instar larva
See Also
Carolina Satyr (
Hermeuptychia sosybius) is not found north of New Jersey and southern Ohio; its upperside has no eyespots, and underside of forewing usually has one spot slightly larger than the other spots (not two large spots, as in Little Wood Satyr)
Internet References
pinned adult images plus description, habits, flight season, adult and larval food, habitat, US distribution map (Butterflies and Skippers of North America, nearctica.com)
pinned adult image plus description of adult and larva, distribution, adult and larval food, abundance, flight season, habitat (Butterflies of Canada, CBIF)
