Cercyonis pegala nephala

Common and abundant

One brood from late June to early September.

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

1¾″ to 3″

This geographically variable, medium-sized butterfly is larger than most satyrs. It is about 1¼″ long and has 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. It does not have a dull or yellow patch surrounding the eyespots. 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.

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

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

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

Flower nectar, rotting fruit.

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.