NORTHERN PEARLY-EYE

Enodia anthedon

BRUSHFOOT FAMILY  (Nymphalidae)

This medium-sized brown butterlfy has a wingspan of 1 3/4 - 2 inches.  Overall it is a brown to tan color with 3 suffused, dark brown eyespots circled by gold on the forewing dosally.  The hindwings have 3 brighter eyespots circled with gold.   Ventrally, the wings have several large, black spots circled with gold and surrounded by a white band.  Above the spots, dark brown lines zigzag across the wings.  The margins of the wings are rimmed with gold and brown lines.  The slender caterpillar is about 1 3/4 inches in length, and is yellow-green with red-tipped horns at both ends.  The head is angular.  There are some lighter colored green stripes along the sides of the body.   

This is a common butterfly in Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods.  It appears in mid-summer and flies through September.  It is especially common along the wetlands boardwalk where it can be seen sitting on the boardwalk and on tree trunks.

The adult does not nectar on flowers, but drinks sap from trees, feeds on carrion and rotting mulberries and mineralizes at mud puddles.  The posterior horns on the larva are normally held down and together.   When disturbed, both ends of the body are raised.  The caterpillars lay down silk each time they move to a new feeding site.  The larval host plants are many grasses, including canary grass and bottle-brush grass.