Cercyonis sthenele behrii

Great Basin Wood Nymph

This dark butterfly has a floppy flight and tends to stay low to the ground, patrolling paths and often resting in shade, where it can seem to disappear. As a satyr, it uses grass as the larval food plant, something a bit odd for a nymphalid. The chocolate brown dorsal side of the wings are beautifully shaped, and overall this is a handsome butterfly. Caterpillars are green and striped, and the green chrysalis looks like a bit like a monarch's but without the gold or other markings. Unlike some of the other satyrs, this one is pretty common around southern California. The Emmels mentioned that it seems to like grassy areas with oak trees, with males peaking in June and females in July.