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Small Wood Nymph
Cercyonis oetus (Boisduval, 1869)
Attributes of Cercyonis oetusFamily: Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae) Subfamily: Satyrs and Wood-Nymphs (Satyrinae) Identification: Wings are light to very dark brown; wing fringes are checkered. Upperside of forewing usually has 1 eyespot in the male, 2 eyespots in the female; upper eyespot is larger. Underside of forewing of both sexes has lower eyespot smaller and nearer to the wing edge than the upper eyespot. Life history: Males patrol all day for females, who deposit eggs singly on the host plant. First-stage caterpillars hibernate unfed until the following spring. Flight: One brood from June-August. Wing span: 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 inches (3.2 - 4.5 cm). Caterpillar hosts: Unknown grasses. Adult food: Flower nectar. Habitat: Dry chaparral, sagebrush, grasslands, scrub, open woodland, meadows. Range: British Columbia east to southern Saskatchewan and western North Dakota; south to eastern California, Nevada, central Arizona, and New Mexico. Conservation: Not usually required. NatureServe Global Status: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Management needs: None reported. | Documented Records for Cercyonis oetus
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