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Megisto cymela

(Little Wood Satyr)

Overview

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Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Little Wood Satyr, Little Wood-Satyr

Description

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Family Nymphalidae

'The Nymphalidae are members of the Superfamily Papilionoidea, the true butterflies. Distributed worldwide, butterflies of this family are especially rich in the tropics. They are highly variable, and there are more species in this family than in any other. Adults vary in size from small to large, and their front legs are reduced, unable to be used for walking. Wing shape is also highly variable: some species have irregular margins (anglewings and commas), and others have long taillike projections (daggerwings). Browns, oranges, yellows, and blacks are frequent colors, while iridescent colors such as purples and blues are rare. Adults of some groups are the longest-lived butterflies, surviving 6-11 months. Adult feeding behavior depends on the species, where some groups primarily seek flower nectar while others only feed on sap flows , rotting fruit, dung, or animal carcasses. Males exhibit perching and patrolling behaviors when seeking mates. Egg-laying varies widely, as some species lay eggs in clustsers, others in columns, and others singly. Caterpillar appearance and behavior vary widely. Brushfoots overwinter as larvae or adults.

'[1]

Subfamily Satyrinae

The Satyrinae are medium-sized species of the Family Nymphalidae. Members of this worldwide group are most often brown with one or more marginal eyespots. Males often have visible patches of specialized scales on the fore- or hindwings . Adults have short proboscises and rarely visit flowers, feeding instead on rotting fruit, animal droppings, or sap flows . Nearly all species feed on grasses and grasslike plants , including bamboos , rushes, and sedges. Adults usually perch with their wings closed , but open them wide when basking early in the morning or during cloudy weather. Most species have local colonies and are not migratory. Males patrol when searching for mates, flying in characteristic slow, skipping flight. Eggs are laid singly on the host leaves or stems, and caterpillars feed within shelters of several leaves sewn together with silk . Development from egg to adult can take two years in arctic and alpine species, and it is synchronized in some species. In those species, adult butterflies are only found every other year. Satyrinae typically overwinter as partially grown caterpillars.[2]

Physical Description

Species Megisto cymela

Each wing , both above and below, has two prominent eyespots with yellow rims and two pupils. Smaller eyespots may be clustered around large one. No other small satyr has eyespots in pairs above and below.

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. (ref. 106053)

Color:

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.

Size/Age/Growth

Wing span : 1 1/2 - 1 7/8 inches (3.8 - 4.8 cm).

Habitat

Grassy woods and openings, old fields ; especially in limey or basic soils. Deciduous woods and forest clearings, meadows and fields, pine woods, salt bays and streamsides.

This satyr is typically found along woodland borders or very open woods. It also occurs in old fields, clearcuts, upland "glades", powerline clearings, and other woodland openings. It favors upland sites as opposed to wetlands; it also appears to be more common over circumneutral soils in NC, a trait noted by Opler and others. (ref. 104704)

Biology

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Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) and centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides). Adult food: Sap , aphid honeydew, and rarely flower nectar. Little Wood Satyrs do not frequent flowers in search of nectar as do most other butterflies; adults rarely feed at all, taking only water at puddles or sap as is shown here.

The foodplants are grasses, probably those of old fields and edges . As with other satyrs, adults seldom nectar, but feed on carrion , decaying fruit, sap, and moisture. (ref. 104704)

Reproduction

Life cycle: Eggs are pale green. Caterpillar is brown with tiny white bumps , feeds on grasses and possibly sedges; larvae overwinter partially grown.

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.

One brood from June-July in the north; two to three broods from March-September in the south. (ref. 106053)

Behavior

Flight: One brood from June-July in the north; two to three broods from March-September in the south.

The Little Wood Satyr is a very adaptable butterfly. It requires only some woods, grass and moisture to thrive; it is a prodigious reproducer and can become extremely abundant under the right conditions. The Little Wood Satyr is equally at home flitting from tree trunk to tree trunk, many times in a group of butterflies that seem to be playing tag , and expertly negotiating tall grass and thick underbrush with its dancing, seemingly slow-motion flight. They fly on cloudy days, unlike many butterflies, and they tolerate deep shade as well. There is some controversy regarding taxonomy of this species; it is thought there are two nearly identical species operating simultaneously in many locales.

Flight period: Seemingly one long flight period, but a small brood may be present in late summer. Present from mid-April to very early September, very rarely in October; the great majority of records are from mid-May to late July. However, peak counts are in the early part of the flight period, in late May and early June. (ref. 104704)

Taxonomy

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Notes

These butterflies are fun to watch when gamboling about amidst a stand of trees ; it really looks as if they are having fun, which is no doubt how they got their name ; satyrs of Greek and Roman mythology are best known for their fondness for dancing and revelry.

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Megisto

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 5 species and subspecies in this genus:

M. cymela (Little Wood Satyr) · M. cymela cymela (Little Wood Satyr) · M. cymela viola (Viola's Wood Satyr) · M. rubricata (Red Satyr) · M. viola (Viola's Wood)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 12, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=18&sci=Nymphalidae&com=Brush-footed Butterflies [back]
  2. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Paramacera&search=Search [back]
Last Revised: 7/16/2012