Hodges#4578

Megisto cymela

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Satyrinae
Tribe: Satyrini
Genus: Megisto
Species: cymela

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Megisto cymela: /mɛˈɡɪstoʊ saɪˈmɛlə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Megisto viola, Viola's Wood Satyr A, LBESF, 3-29-08 (4732921622) by pondhawk from Winter Park, Florida, USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Little Wood Satyr (Megisto cymela) - Mississauga, Ontario 03 by Ryan Hodnett. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Megisto cymela P1090333a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Megisto cymela cymela P1080016a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Megisto cymela P1100227a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Megisto cymela P1080188a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Summary

Megisto cymela, commonly known as the Little Wood Satyr, is a butterfly species of the Satyrinae family found primarily in North America, characterized by its distinctive eyespots and unique habitat preferences.

Physical Characteristics

Adult wingspan is 29-48 mm; Upperside features yellow-rimmed black eyespots on each wing, with large dark eyespots on the hindwing underside. Larval body is light greenish-brown with a dark dorsal stripe and alternating brown and yellowish lateral stripes, covered in small bumps with reddish-brown hairs; head is dirty white, tails are light gray.

Identification Tips

Forewing has at least two large spots larger than others; hindwing contains two large dark eyespots and several smaller spots on the underside. Differentiated from Carolina Satyr and Red Satyr by presence of multiple large eyespots and coloration.

Habitat

Prefers open habitats with deciduous trees, marshy areas, and brushy cover. Often found in forests, along edges, brush-filled openings, and grassy areas between forested patches.

Distribution

Occurs in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, from Nova Scotia to Florida, and west to Texas, Saskatchewan and Wyoming.

Diet

Larvae primarily feed on grasses including Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata), Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis), and Centipede Grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides). Adults feed on plant sap, aphid honeydew, and occasionally nectar.

Life Cycle

Adults in northern regions fly between June and July; in southern regions, they fly from March to September. One generation per year in Canada; two or three farther south.

Reproduction

Females lay eggs singly on grass blades; the caterpillars overwinter as fourth-instar larvae.