common wood nymph

Common wood nymph is a geographically variable, medium-sized butterfly.

Adults are about 1¼″ long, larger than most satyrs, and have a 1¾″ to 3″ wingspan. There is a light form, with light brown wings and body, and a dark form, with dark brown wings and body.

It perches with wings closed, so the upperside of the wings are rarely seen. The underside of the forewing is brown and has a 2 large, black, yellow-ringed eyespots with white pupils. Usually, just one of these spots is visible on a perched individual. Common wood nymph (C. p. pegala) has a yellow patch surrounding the eyespots. Dull-eyed grayling (C. p. nephele) does not. A single thin, dark, wavy line separates the darker forward portion of the wings from the usually somewhat paler rear portion.

The underside of the hindwing is brown with usually 6 similar but smaller eyespots.

Wingspan: 1¾″ to 3″

Eyed brown (Lethe eurydice) forewing has 4 much smaller eyespots.

Northern pearly eye (Lethe anthedon) wing undersides have at least 2 dark, wavy lines. The forewing has 4 eyespots.

Fields, prairies, meadows, bogs, and woodland edges.

One brood from late June to early September.

Females lay single eggs on host grasses in late summer. Caterpillars hatch in the fall and overwinter. They begin feeding in the spring. Males emerge from late June to August, seldom feed, and last for about 2 weeks. Females emerge later and last for about 4 weeks.

Grasses, including purpletop tridens (Tridens flavus var. flavus) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii).

Flower nectar, rotting fruit.

Sources

4, 7, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

Abundant

At least 21 subspecies have been described based in some cases on subtle color variations. Populations in the eastern part of the species’ range often have individuals of two or more subspecies. This suggests that some of the differences may be color morphs as opposed to separate subspecies. Darkness may be an adaptation within a population or an individual to the amount of direct sunlight to which it is exposed.

The common name is a misnomer. This species is found in open areas or at the edges of woodlands.

Light form with no hindwing spots

Dark form

Common Wood Nymph
Andree Reno Sanborn

Cercyonis pegala (Common Wood-Nymph)
Allen Chartier

Common Wood-Nymph
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren

common wood nymph 01
8/20/2024

Common Wood Nymph (Nymphalidae: Cercyonis pegala) on Leaf
Carl Barrentine

Common Wood Nymph (Nymphalidae: Cercyonis pegala) on Blossom
Carl Barrentine

Common Wood-Nymph
Darrell Neufeld

Nancy Falkum
8/20/2024

Location: Oronoco Prairie SNA