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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 8116 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 28, 2026
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 30, 2026
Observation date: Jul 26, 2026
Submitted by: kimupnorth87
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 28, 2026
Observation date: Jul 25, 2025
Submitted by: Doug DeNeve
Region: Alleghany County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 27, 2026
Observation date: Jul 26, 2026
Submitted by: JacqsamM
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 27, 2026
Observation date: Jul 24, 2026
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 25, 2026
Observation date: Jun 27, 2026
Submitted by: saturniidoll
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 23, 2026
Observation date: Jul 22, 2026
Submitted by: Jan.gill
Region: Washington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 22, 2026
Observation date: Jul 23, 2010
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 18, 2026
Observation date: Jul 16, 2026
Submitted by: tedzimmerman
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 17, 2026
Observation date: Jul 10, 2026
Submitted by: Rgilson
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jul 07, 2026
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Riley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jul 07, 2026
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Riley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jul 06, 2026
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Aug 04, 2025
Submitted by: Black Spruce Girl
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2026
Observation date: Jul 05, 2026
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 06, 2026
Observation date: Jul 03, 2026
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 04, 2026
Observation date: Jul 14, 2020
Submitted by: rbuist
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jun 28, 2026
Observation date: Jul 03, 2020
Submitted by: rbuist
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jun 28, 2026
Observation date: Jun 20, 2026
Submitted by: jkarthei
Region: Morgan County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 27, 2026
Observation date: Jun 21, 2026
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Franklin County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Jun 22, 2026
Observation date: Jun 14, 2026
Submitted by: BT
Region: Texas, Jones County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 15, 2026
Observation date: Sep 03, 2008
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: May 06, 2026
Observation date: Jul 23, 2022
Submitted by: acb22
Region: Houghton County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Apr 07, 2026
Observation date: Jul 16, 2022
Submitted by: Mboater
Region: Bedford County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Apr 01, 2026
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