Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Megisto cymela - Little Wood Satyr - Hodges#4578

MN June - Little Wood Satyr - Megisto cymela - male Unknown Satyr - Megisto cymela Wood satyr? - Megisto cymela Little Wood Satyr Caterpillar - Megisto cymela Little Wood Satyr - Megisto cymela Little Wood Satyr - Megisto cymela Megisto cymela Little Wood Satyr - Megisto cymela
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Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)
Family Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Subfamily Satyrinae (Satyrs, Morphos and Owls)
Tribe Satyrini (Alpines, Arctics, Nymphs and Satyrs)
Genus Megisto
Species cymela (Little Wood Satyr - Hodges#4578)
Hodges Number
4578
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Megisto cymela (Cramer)
Orig. Comb: Papilio cymela Cramer 1777
Size
wingspan 29-48 mm
Identification
Adult: Upperside, has yellow-rimmed eyespots on each wing (usually two on each wing); on underside, forewing has at least two spots that are much larger than the other spots (which may be deformed or missing), and hindwing has at least two large dark eyespots and several smaller spots. Eyes are black, even in life.
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

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 or more large spots, as in Little Wood Satyr). Eyes are gray when still alive.
Red Satyr - Megisto rubricata is mostly found further west, but might be found flying with M. cymela in Kansas, Oklahoma, and especially in Texas. It typically has only one large eyespot on each wing above, a distinct reddish cast, and only one enlarged eyespot on lower side of front wing.
Range
e NA to MT - Map (MPG)
Habitat
near woods or shrubby areas
Season
mostly May-July (MPG)
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
Remarks
common to abundant