Eastern Gemmed-Satyr
EntdeckenInsekten
Eastern Gemmed-Satyr
cyllopsis gemma
The Eastern Gemmed-Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma) is a delightful and subtle resident of the damp, shaded woodlands of the southeastern United States. Often overlooked due to its low, bobbing flight pattern near the forest floor, this small butterfly reveals spectacular hidden beauty upon closer inspection. While its upper wings are a modest, uniform grayish-brown, the underside of its hindwings features a row of metallic, silver-and-gold spots—the 'gems' that give the species its name. Unlike many butterflies that flutter high in the canopy or visit bright flowers, the Eastern Gemmed-Satyr prefers the dim understory, feeding on sap, rotting fruit, and moisture. Its presence is a testament to the health of grassy woodland floors and riparian margins.
Lebensraum: Found in damp, deciduous woodlands, coastal plains, and riparian corridors, typically near slow-moving streams or swampy margins where host grasses grow.
Aussehen
A small butterfly with a wingspan ranging from 3 to 5 cm, the Eastern Gemmed-Satyr exhibits a mostly plain, soft grayish-brown color on its upperside. Its most defining characteristic is on the underside of the hindwing: a prominent row of four or five small, dark, circular spots glistening with metallic silver and gold centers, bordered by a delicate rusty-red or copper line. The underside also displays faint, wavy, reddish-brown lines traversing the wings, helping it blend seamlessly into dead leaves and forest floor debris when resting.
ReichAnimaliaStammArthropodaKlasseInsectaOrdnungLepidopteraFamilieNymphalidaeGattungCyllopsis
Kategorie
InsektenSeltenheit
Common
Gefahr
1/5 · Sehr gering
Snaps
Mach den ersten Snap!
Interessante Fakten
Its flight is remarkably low and bouncy, rarely rising more than a foot or two above the leaf litter of the forest floor.
The metallic 'gems' on the edges of its hindwings act as a deflective target, tricking predators into attacking the wing margins rather than its vulnerable body.
Unlike most butterflies, the Eastern Gemmed-Satyr rarely visits flowers for nectar, preferring moisture and nutrients from mud, sap, and dung.
Besondere Fähigkeiten
Fähigkeit
Gemmed Cryptic Camouflage
The intricate, leaf-like patterns on the underside of its wings allow it to disappear completely against the leaf litter when its wings are folded.
Fähigkeit
Low-Altitude Flight
It flies in a slow, bouncing manner very close to the ground, navigating through dense grass and undergrowth to evade aerial predators.
Fähigkeit
Non-Floral Nutrient Extraction
It has adapted to seek out non-floral sources of moisture and nutrients, utilizing a specialized proboscis to feed on tree sap, dung, and decaying organic matter.
Maße und Details
- Länge
- 1+ cm
- Flügelspannweite
- 3+ cm
- Gewicht
- 0.0001+ kg
- Top Speed
- 8 km/h
- Gelegegröße
- 20+
- Brutzeit
- 4+ Tage
Ernährung und Fütterung
Adults feed on decaying organic materials like rotting fruit, tree sap, and animal dung, while caterpillars feed exclusively on various grasses.
Altersunterschiede: Larvae are strictly herbivorous, feeding on grasses like Bermuda grass, whereas adults transition to a liquid diet of sap, rotting fruit, and dung.
Hauptnahrung
- Tree sap
- Rotting fruit
- Animal dung
- Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon)
- Carpetgrass (Axonopus)
Nahrungssuche
- Foraging
Ökologische Zusammenhänge
host plant
Bermuda grass
Cynodon dactylon
The caterpillar larvae of the Eastern Gemmed-Satyr feed on the leaves of this grass as their primary food source.
eaten by
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
This small insectivorous bird preys on the caterpillars and adult butterflies of the Eastern Gemmed-Satyr.
eaten by
Green Treefrog
Hyla cinerea
Often sharing the same damp, grassy habitats, this treefrog opportunistically preys on low-flying adults.
Merkmale
Für dieses Objekt sind noch keine Merkmal-Badges vergeben.
Auch bekannt als
Noch keine Alternativnamen vorhanden.
Sammlungen
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Sicherheit
Gefahr
1/5 · Sehr gering
Noch keine besonderen Sicherheitshinweise.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Wie identifiziert man Eastern Gemmed-Satyr?
Der einfachste Weg, Eastern Gemmed-Satyr zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.
Was ist der/die/das länge von Eastern Gemmed-Satyr?
1+ cm
Was ist der/die/das flügelspannweite von Eastern Gemmed-Satyr?
3+ cm
Was ist der/die/das gewicht von Eastern Gemmed-Satyr?
0.0001+ kg
Was ist der/die/das top Speed von Eastern Gemmed-Satyr?
8 km/h
Was frisst Eastern Gemmed-Satyr?
Adults feed on decaying organic materials like rotting fruit, tree sap, and animal dung, while caterpillars feed exclusively on various grasses.
Wo findet man Eastern Gemmed-Satyr normalerweise?
Found in damp, deciduous woodlands, coastal plains, and riparian corridors, typically near slow-moving streams or swampy margins where host grasses grow.
Wie jagt Eastern Gemmed-Satyr?
Foraging
Snap-Karte
Zoome hinein, um Cluster aufzulösen und zu sehen, wo dieses Objekt fotografiert wurde.
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Neueste Snaps
Neueste Snaps erscheinen hier, wenn neue Beobachtungen hinzukommen.
