Common Wood-Nymph
Cercyonis pegala (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Satyrinae
Identification: Geographically variable. Wings are brown. Upperside of forewing has 2 large yellow-ringed eyespots. Lowerside of hindwing has a variable number of small eyespots. Southern and coastal butterflies are larger and have a yellow or yellow-orange patch on the outer part of the forewing. Inland butterflies are smaller and have the yellow forewing patch reduced or absent.
Wing Span: 1 3/4 - 3 inches (4.5 - 7.6 cm).
Life History: Males patrol for females with a dipping flight through the vegetation. In late summer, females lay eggs singly on host plant leaves. Caterpillars hatch but do not feed, instead hibernating until spring.
Flight: One brood from late May-October. Females emerge later than males.
Caterpillar Hosts: Purpletop (Tridens flavus) and other grasses.
Adult Food: Rotting fruit, flower nectar.
Habitat: Large, sunny, grassy areas including prairies, open meadows, bogs, and old fields.
Range: Southern Canada and the continental United States except for most of the Southwest and Texas, southern peninsular Florida, and northern Maine.
Conservation: Isolated populations in Great Basin wetlands may be of concern.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 7588 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 08, 2019
Submitted by: RichHubie
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 09, 2019
Observation date: Sep 06, 2019
Submitted by: villageman
Region: Garland County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 08, 2019
Observation date: Sep 02, 2019
Submitted by: Chris Barnhart
Region: Dade County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 07, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: kathybrown
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 07, 2019
Observation date: Aug 29, 2019
Submitted by: AJ Trently
Region: Fayette County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 04, 2019
Observation date: Sep 04, 2019
Submitted by: ellenjones6
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 04, 2019
Observation date: Aug 23, 2019
Submitted by: Bob Crowley
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 02, 2019
Observation date: Aug 29, 2019
Submitted by: WINGSaloftinKS
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 30, 2019
Observation date: Aug 02, 2010
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Livingston County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 28, 2019
Observation date: Aug 27, 2019
Submitted by: EvSherr
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 27, 2019
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 15, 2019
Submitted by: tjunderwood
Region: Warren County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 25, 2019
Observation date: Aug 23, 2019
Submitted by: WINGSaloftinKS
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 24, 2019
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: Jeanne9953
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 22, 2019
Observation date: Aug 18, 2019
Submitted by: Rjfischer
Region: Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 20, 2019
Observation date: Aug 14, 2019
Submitted by: ellenjones6
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 19, 2019
Observation date: Aug 15, 2019
Submitted by: Vickig
Region: Pend Oreille County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 18, 2019
Observation date: Jul 20, 2019
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 16, 2019
Observation date: Aug 12, 2019
Submitted by: Eduardotejeda
Region: Niagara County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 16, 2019
Observation date: Aug 09, 2019
Submitted by: bealbd@yahoo.com
Region: Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 13, 2019
Observation date: Aug 06, 2019
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: Custer County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 13, 2019
Observation date: Aug 09, 2019
Submitted by: Jeanne9953
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 11, 2019
Observation date: Aug 03, 2019
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Portage County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Aug 11, 2019
Observation date: Jul 31, 2019
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Aug 11, 2019
- 1 of 317
- next ›