Hermeuptychia sosybius [Fabricius]
Identification: Oplar, USGS Internet pages, Butterflies of Alabama - The Carolina Satyr has a wing span of nearly two inches. To identify this small butterfly, look for a grayish-brown upperside with no markings. The underwing is also grayish-brown with two black shaded spots on the margin. Both wings of the underside have many small eyespots rimmed with light yellow.
The adults have a slow, weak flight, and are usually found flying in the forest understory. Males patrol during the day to find receptive females. Caterpillars eat leaves.
Several broods are produced throughout the year in the southern region from April to October.
The caterpillar feeds on carpet grass, centipede grass, St. Augustine, Kentucky bluegrass and others. The adult butterfly feeds on plant sap and rotting fruit.
Its preferred habitat is grassy places and woodlands.
The range of the Carolina Satyr is southern New Jersey south along the Atlantic Coast to southern Florida; west to southeast Kansas, central Oklahoma, central Texas, and Mexico.
This butterfly was formerly called Hermeuptychia hermes, but the type locality of hermes is South America and North American populations do not represent the same species.