The Little Wood-Satyrs flit and bounce along grassy woodland edges, bringing a sense of quiet motion to the shaded understory. Although they may venture briefly into sunnier clearings, they rarely stray far from the safety of their forest homes. Unlike other small satyrs, they tend to fly higher and will often ascend into tree branches when startled.

These butterflies are a soft chestnut brown with delicate, darker lines tracing their wings. Their most distinctive features are the bold, dark eyespots ringed in bright yellow, which stand out like tiny lanterns against their subdued coloring.

 

“Little Wood-Satyr” by Dann Thombs, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

Little Wood-Satyr Facts

Butterfly Family: Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Satyrinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 1/2 – 1 7/8 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Grassy woods and openings, old fields; especially in limey or basic soils

 

🪴 Host Plants

These are the plants where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata)

• Poa (Poa spp.)

• St. Augustine Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum)

 

🌸 feeding behavior

Adult Little Wood Satyrs primarily feed on:

• Dung

• Moisture from damp soil and leaf litter

• Rotting fruit

• Sap flows

Their preference for sap, rotting fruit, and dung is due to their shaded woodland habitats, where flowers are less abundant.