Georgia Satyr Neonympha areolata Croatan NF, Craven Co., NC 25 Aug 2018 #9653 In my experience, it's rare to see Georgia Satyrs nectaring on flowers, and it's even more rare to catch them with their wings open! |
Georgia Satyr Neonympha areolata Croatan NF, Craven Co., NC 25 Aug 2018 #9588 |
Georgia Satyr Neonympha areolata Croatan NF, Craven Co., NC 25 Aug 2018 #9649 |
Georgia Satyr Neonympha areolata Croatan NF, Craven Co., NC 25 Aug 2018 #9673 |
Taxonomic treatment of these butterflies varies among authors, and the distributions of the two taxa are still being determined in NC. In general these are local and uncommon in the coastal plain of NC. They are two-brooded and fly from Spring into Fall.
The late Ron Gatrelle examined a series of specimens from NC and noted that Helicta Satyr is the most widespread taxon in NC with Georgia Satyr being restricted to the southern coast. It's possible the two taxa are sympatric and even hybridize here in NC.
Here are some things to look for when encountering these taxa in the field (this information from personal communication with Ron and from his paper, downloadable at http://tils-ttr.org/ttr/ttr-1-8.pdf:
Size:When looking at these butterflies, pay attention to the orange lines encircling the hindwing eyespots. Ron states that, in Georgia Satyr (areolata) the those lines usually come to a close above the eyespots well within the "cell", e.g., in the middle of that cell to touching the lower vein. In Helicta, those lines encircling the eyespots either touch the top vein or go above it (in which case the lines do not meet at all and are gapped at top edge of wing).
To determine gender in the field, Ron suggests that males perch with their forewings in a higher relative position compared to females.
Typical Helicta Female Harnett Co., NC; 29 May 2005 #3835 |
Typical Helicta Male Harnett Co., NC; 29 May 2005 #3851 |
Typical Georgia (areolata) Female Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, FL 12 Aug 2003 |
Typical Georgia (areolata) Male Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, FL 12 Aug 2003 |
Helicta Satyr (Neonympha helicta) Harnett Co., NC; 29 May 2005 #3876 |
Helicta Satyr (Neonympha helicta) Female Harnett Co., NC; 29 May 2005 #3878 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Pender Co., NC 13 Sep 2009 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Pender Co., NC 13 Sep 2009 |
Georgia Satyr takes off in flight, photographed during its first downstroke! Craven Co., NC27 Aug 2006 |
Wings are plain brown above, although they never perch with wings open. Pender Co., NC 13 Sep 2009 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC 29 August 2004 #315 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC 29 August 2004 #314 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC 29 August 2004 #373 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Pender Co., NC 28 May 2003 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Brunswick Co., NC 15 May 2004 #113 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC 28 Aug 2005 #5898 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006 #4734 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006 #4874 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC; 26 Aug 2007 #1739 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC; 26 Aug 2007 #1754 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC 31 Aug 2008 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC 31 Aug 2008 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC 26 Aug 2007 #1804 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Craven Co., NC 12 Aug 2016 #7281 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Pender Co., NC 11 Sep 2016 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Big Cypress, Collier Co., FL 25 Sep 2016 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Big Cypress, Collier Co., FL 25 Sep 2016 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Big Cypress, Collier Co., FL 25 Sep 2016 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Big Cypress, Collier Co., FL 25 Sep 2016 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Big Cypress, Collier Co., FL 25 Sep 2016 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Big Cypress, Collier Co., FL 25 Sep 2016 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Big Cypress, Collier Co., FL 25 Sep 2016 |
Georgia Satyr (Neonympha areolata areolata) Florida Panther NWR, Collier Co., FL 21 Sep 2016 |
Created on ... June 26, 2003 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com