North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Mead's Wood Nymph (Cercyonis meadii)
JPG -- species photo

Mead's Wood Nymph (Cercyonis meadii [W. H. Edwards])

Wing span: 1 3/8 - 1 3/4 inches (3.5 - 4.5 cm).

Identification: Upperside is chocolate-brown. Forewing has a reddish patch which surrounds eyespots; upper eyespot is usually the largest. Underside of forewing is mostly reddish; hindwing is mottled brown and white with only a few small eyespots.

Life history: Males patrol all day to find females. Eggs are laid singly on the host plant. Caterpillars hatch and then go into hibernation, not feeding until the following spring.

Flight: One brood from late July-early September.

Caterpillar hosts: Grasses.

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Juniper-pinyon woodland and dry, open pine forest.

Range: Eastern Montana, western North Dakota, eastern Wyoming, and central Colorado south to central Utah, central Arizona, southeast New Mexico, west Texas, and northwest Chihuahua, Mexico.

Conservation: Not usually required.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None reported.

References:


Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford University Press, 

     Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.



Tilden, J. W. 1986. A field guide to western butterflies. Houghton-Mifflin Co., 

     Boston, Mass. 370 pages, 23 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

Mead's Wood Nymph (Cercyonis meadii)
distribution map
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