The Northern Pearly-eye is a woodland butterfly that is seldom seen in open areas. It has a swift, erratic flight pattern and often lands head-down on the shaded side of a sunlit tree. Its wings are cloaked in a shimmering grayish-brown, with the upper sides marked by subtle mahogany ribbing and a row of rounded, eye-like spots along the edges. The black antennae tipped with orange help distinguish it from the closely related Southern Pearly-eye.

 

“Northern Pearly-eye” by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, licensed under (CC BY 2.0)

 

Northern Pearly-eye Facts

Butterfly Family: Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Satyrinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 3/4 – 2 5/8 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Damp deciduous woods, usually near marshes or waterways; mixed or grassy woodlands

 

🪴Host Plants

These are the plants where Northern Pearly-eye females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• Bearded Shorthusk (Brachyelytrum erectum)

• Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix)

• River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)

• Whitegrass (Leersia virginica)

 

🌸 Feeding Behavior

Adults rarely visit flowers. They 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.