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.
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 121 - 144 of 6921 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6031_3.jpg?itok=rbRg6UDW)
Observation date: May 13, 2022
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Fentress County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: May 13, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_6024_6.jpg?itok=ce-llnSD)
Observation date: May 13, 2022
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Fentress County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: May 13, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood-satyr_210602_atv_img_7222.jpg?itok=2b4w1Vl6)
Observation date: Jun 02, 2021
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Apr 10, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/photos_002.jpg?itok=WcgwZ945)
Observation date: Jun 10, 2007
Submitted by: lassa8
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 05, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/wood.jpeg?itok=5r0VjLG5)
Observation date: Mar 27, 2022
Submitted by: Ryan84
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Mar 31, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/5d115bcc-53db-45ad-ab99-cde816690942.jpeg?itok=DWqlNeh9)
Observation date: Jul 07, 2020
Submitted by: Butterflies and...
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Jan 30, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/littlewoodsatyr_1.jpg?itok=2Udr0arw)
Observation date: Jun 24, 2020
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Dec 31, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/22547e0b-cb0e-406a-a455-9c52f2227b94.jpeg?itok=ixbgjZRu)
Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Dec 31, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood_saytr_2_1.jpg?itok=0x9TM8tN)
Observation date: Jun 24, 2020
Submitted by: jmacmetro
Region: Hudson County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Dec 31, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood_satyr_megisto_cymela_viola_fl_liberty_county_-_torreya_state_park_may_11_2018.jpg?itok=mCfU8arl)
Observation date: May 11, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Calhoun County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 19, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood_satyr_megisto_cymela_viola_fl_levy_county_-_goethe_sf_mar_17_2018.jpg?itok=BRIDtk5S)
Observation date: Mar 17, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Levy County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 19, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood_satyr_megisto_cymela_viola_fl_clay_county_-_mike_roess_branch_sp_mar_19_2020a.jpg?itok=C-20dMtW)
Observation date: Mar 19, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 19, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood-satyr_01.jpg?itok=ZN3MtP2-)
Observation date: Jun 17, 2021
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Nov 18, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/lws.jpg?itok=SuZXP3fc)
Observation date: Jun 24, 2021
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Nov 18, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/megisto_cymelasendelbach.jpg?itok=-iePJ8iT)
Observation date: May 24, 2021
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Nov 15, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/mecy_bamona_img_2091.jpg?itok=sJDFI42O)
Observation date: Jun 16, 2018
Submitted by: lizmcd
Region: Garrett County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 06, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/screen_shot_2018-05-27_at_3.49.26_pm_0.png?itok=eRkewsn1)
Observation date: May 27, 2018
Submitted by: Darrin Frye
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 05, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/mecy_bamona_img_1252.jpg?itok=gCYH7tES)
Observation date: May 28, 2018
Submitted by: lizmcd
Region: Garrett County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 05, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/6-29-18_little-wood_satyr_-_ramsey_rd._de-5669.jpg?itok=8NnCTmD3)
Observation date: Jun 29, 2018
Submitted by: gblkrum
Region: New Castle County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 04, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/satyr_1_2.jpg?itok=yWN2vvx5)
Observation date: May 23, 2019
Submitted by: jwilkinson
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 04, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/little_wood_satyrsaranac_lake_ny_htown_marsh_trail_june_24_2006b.jpg?itok=9EoKVq24)
Observation date: Jun 24, 2006
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/large_194.jpg?itok=Tdu3PVDd)
Observation date: Jun 29, 2015
Submitted by: LadyAshleyR
Region: Garrett County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 27, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_dsc1510.jpg?itok=T9LPq7e5)
Observation date: Jun 21, 2020
Submitted by: AaronR
Region: Caroline County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 25, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_dsc1523.jpg?itok=2FvBMout)
Observation date: Jun 21, 2020
Submitted by: AaronR
Region: Caroline County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 25, 2021
- ‹ previous
- 6 of 289
- next ›