Little Wood-Satyr
Megisto cymela (Cramer, 1777)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Satyrinae
Identification: Light brown. Forewing has 2 yellow-rimmed black eyespots both above and below. Hindwing has 2 eyespots on upper side; but may have smaller spots below.
Wing Span: 1 1/2 - 1 7/8 inches (3.8 - 4.8 cm).
Life History: In the early morning and late afternoon, Little Wood Satyrs bask with their wings open while perched on tree leaves or on leaf litter. Adults have a slow bouncing flight and will rise as far as the tops of tall trees. Males patrol in the shade to find females. Eggs are laid singly on grass blades. Fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood from June-July in the north; two to three broods from March-September in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) and centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides).
Adult Food: Sap, aphid honeydew, and rarely flower nectar.
Habitat: Grassy woods and openings, old fields; especially in limey or basic soils.
Range: Eastern Nebraska and northeastern Colorado south to eastern Texas; east through all of the eastern United States except northern New England, southern peninsular Florida, and coastal Louisiana.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 73 - 96 of 6921 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/278a7e77-2164-47a6-9507-22514c58b1d1.jpeg?itok=pxnHLy42)
Observation date: Apr 11, 2020
Submitted by: KRPerry
Region: Hays County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 11, 2022
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Observation date: May 17, 2020
Submitted by: cosmic_cat
Region: Texas, Morris County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 10, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/1s7a8593.jpg?itok=Ik1H80Az)
Observation date: May 10, 2021
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: Bandera County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood-satyr_megisto_cymela_2022-7-17_home.jpg?itok=Zqaq1CR6)
Observation date: Jul 17, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: Boone County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Eric Wood
Verified date: Sep 22, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20220705_megisto_cymela_-_phyllis_freese_np_michigan_2.jpg?itok=NXh-YERm)
Observation date: Jul 05, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Barry County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: alxj4d3
Region: Montcalm County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 31, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 20, 2022
Submitted by: Roose
Region: Saginaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 31, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/kent_bog_060316-19-edit.jpg?itok=1-V8umNe)
Observation date: Jun 03, 2016
Submitted by: dbryant562
Region: Portage County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 28, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood-satyr_at_guadalupe_river_sp_in_comal_county_tx_on_5-13-2021_1_of_1.jpg?itok=jaTAs18D)
Observation date: May 13, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Comal County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20220605_094307.jpg?itok=CnOS3D04)
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: Jasper
Region: Genesee County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 16, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20220528_megisto_cymela_-_little_dixie_lake_conservation_area_fulton_mo_2.jpg?itok=UiKDF_z4)
Observation date: May 28, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Callaway County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 03, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20220608_megisto_cymela_-_creek_ridge_county_park_michigan_city_in.jpg?itok=o_B7xwhe)
Observation date: Jun 28, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 03, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20220605_megisto_cymela_-_marquete_trail_natural_area_burns_harbor_in_2.jpg?itok=hAWTwlnh)
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 03, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: vmaglio
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 27, 2022
Submitted by: mbroen
Region: St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood-satyr_220701_jf_img_0843.jpg?itok=5k2XjfJQ)
Observation date: Jul 01, 2022
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 07, 2022
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 09, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood-satyr_megisto_cymela_jte_0148.jpg?itok=9FxI-FsQ)
Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 01, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood_satyr_23.jpg?itok=Yyeevgxd)
Observation date: Jun 09, 2022
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Jun 30, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood_satyr_01_0.jpg?itok=Joug6bPD)
Observation date: Jun 22, 2022
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Adair County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 26, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/raggedbutterfly1.jpeg?itok=rS2_ASfl)
Observation date: Jun 23, 2022
Submitted by: Razzlefish
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc06466.jpg?itok=NaXJr_o6)
Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 22, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0338gh.jpg?itok=9lBiyoPT)
Observation date: May 19, 2022
Submitted by: c4c
Region: Salem, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
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