• Butterflies
• Dragonflies
• Damselflies
• Tiger beetles
• Hike with Mike

• The butterflies:
• Brushfooted Butterflies
  • Snouts
  • Heliconians and Fritillaries
  • True Brushfoots
  • Admirals and Relatives
  • Leafwings
  • Emperors
  • Satyrs
  • Monarchs
• Satyrs
  • Northern Pearly-eye
  • Eyed Brown
  • Smoky Eyed Brown
  • Appalachian Brown
  • Little Wood-Satyr
  • Common Ringlet
  • Common Wood-Nymph
  • Red-disked Alpine
  • Chryxus Arctic
  • Jutta Arctic

Northern Pearly-eye

(Enodia anthedon)

The Northern Pearly-eye is a woodland species that is rarely found elsewhere. It has a swift, erratic flight that often ends with it perched, head down, on a side of a sunlight tree. While walking down a woodland trail in July, you can probably get acquainted with this species in any part of the state.

Identifying characteristics: Above, this species is a brown butterfly with some lighter regions in the forewing and with fairly large brown circles surrounded by a lighter ring. Below, the wings are brownish tan with two dark, bold bands through both wings nearer the body, and the wings seem more scalloped than from above. The eyespots below are more complicated than from above with the brown center surrounded by a yellow, a brown, and then a white ring. In addition each of the hind wings have a white mark in the center of the large brown center.

Similar species: This is a woodland species and could be confused with the Appalachian Brown that may be flying with it. It is told from that species by the more scalloped wings, the wider bands through both wings, larger brown circles in the eyespots, and by the grayer coloration of the wing below. The Little Wood-Saytr is also flying at the same time, but is much smaller and is usually found flying, lazily, within a few feet of the ground.

Habitat: Woodlands, woodland edges, and along streams.

Flight: One brood. This species may be found from late June to late August, but is most common in July.

Abundance: The Northern Pearly-eye is fairly common throughout the state, but it is not likely that you will see more than 20 of this species in any day.

Recent Northern Pearly-eye Sightings

Date seen	County	Reported by
Sunday	Marquette	Mike Reese
Sunday	Bayfield	Ryan Brady
Sunday	Bayfield	Ryan Brady
Friday	Columbia	Mike Reese
08–10–2008	Bayfield	Ryan Brady
08–09–2008	Bayfield	Ryan Brady
08–06–2008	Wood	Mike Reese
08–05–2008	Dane	Ann Thering
08–02–2008	Bayfield	Ryan Brady
08–01–2008	Door	Tom Poklen

Submit a Northern Pearly-eye sighting »