Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Red Satyr
Megisto rubricata (W.H. Edwards, 1871)


Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Satyrinae
Identification: Upperside is dark brown; each wing has 1 eyespot and a reddish patch. Underside is light brown; forewing has a reddish patch and 1 eyespot near the tip.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 1 7/8 inches (3.5 - 4.8 cm).
Life History: Males patrol in shady areas for females. Eggs are scattered on dead leaves or near grass blades. Caterpillars eat grass blades and mature caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: Two broods from April-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) and St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum).
Adult Food: Not reported.
Habitat: Open mesquite, juniper, or oak-pine woodland.
Range: Central Arizona, central New Mexico, east Texas, and south-central Kansas south through Mexico to Guatemala.
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.
Comments: NULL