Summary ⁵

The Carolina Satyr (Hermeuptychia sosybius) is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae and subfamily Satyrinae. It is a common little brown butterfly usually seen bopping along woodland grasses. They rarely perch with their wings open showing the brown wings with no markings.

Description ⁶

Upper side is brown with no markings. Underside is brown with two well developed medium-sized and eyespots and one small eyespot on the hind wing, and one on the forewing, in addition to several minute eyespot lacking a well developed black center; eyespots are rimmed with yellow.

Larval Description ⁶

Body green; covered with minute setae; head green, distinct; virtually unmarked, has faint, slightly darker green striations laterally; end of abdomen with a pair of caudal scoli.

Larval Host Plants ⁶

Variety of grasses including Carpet grass (Axonopus compressus), centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides); probably St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), and others.

GTM Occurrence ⁶

The Carolina Satyr is considered a uncommon species at the GTM. It occurs along all Transects, but being mainly a forest species only one specimens was observed from the open habitat along Transect A. The Carolina Satyr is most abundant along the Red Bay Walk (Transect D). This species occurs in March and April, only a few observations in June and July, and again more abundant in September and October. It was not obeserved in the GTM in 2008 and 2011. There have been 31 specimens observed as of December 28, 2015.

Distribution ⁷

Global Range: Southeastern United States: Virginia to Florida and along coast of Gulf of Mexico to Texas. Also, Mississippi Valley etc. north to Kentucky and West Virginia. Possibly in Mexico.

Habitat ⁸

Comments: Various woodland habitats; shady meadows. Also shaded grassy parks etc. Commoner at lower altitudes. Host plants are in family Poaceae.

Nature serve conservation status ⁹

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Reasons: Widespread and abundant.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Vicki DeLoach, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/7327719@N06/4557033489
2. (c) cotinis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/pcoin/104716675/
3. (c) Anne Toal, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/annetoal/2289566687/
4. (c) GTMResearchReserve, all rights reserved, uploaded by GTMResearchReserve
5. Adapted by GTMResearchReserve from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeuptychia_sosybius
6. (c) GTMResearchReserve, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
7. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28841570
8. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28841575
9. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28841564

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• BugGuide
• Butterflies and Moths of North America
• CUIC Insect Images
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• Maryland Moths
• Moth Photographers Group
• Moths of North Carolina
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0

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