Helicta Satyr Neonympha helicta and Georgia Satyr Neonympha areolata

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.

Ron Gatrelle has examined a series of specimens from NC and notes that Helicta Satyr is the most widespread taxon in NC with Georgia Satyr being restricted to the extreme 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:

• Helicta: larger; similar to Megisto
• Areolata: smaller; approaching H. sosybius

• Helicta: tends to fly higher than areolata; often flies a couple feet above the vegetation (however, the Harnett Co. bugs we saw were flying slowly and low down in the vegetation...)
• Areolata: tends to fly down in the vegetation, being more reclusive

• Helicta: top of orange lines meets at or above top vein of cell
• Areolata: top of orange lines meets in cell or at lower vein of cell

• Helicta: more round to oval; however this is variable and is more variable in females than males
• Areolata: more elongated

• Helicta: wet or dry habitats
• Areolata: wet only (moist pine savanna type places)

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 Harnett Co., NC; 29 May 2005 #3876	Helicta Satyr Female Harnett Co., NC; 29 May 2005 #3878

Craven Co., NC; 29 August 2004 #315	Craven Co., NC; 29 August 2004 #314

Craven Co., NC; 29 August 2004 #373	Pender Co., NC; 28 May 2003

Brunswick Co., NC; 15 May 2004 #113	Craven Co., NC; 28 Aug 2005 #5898

Craven Co., NC; 27 Aug 2006 #4734	Craven Co., NC; 27 Aug 2006 #4874

Craven Co., NC; 26 Aug 2007 #1739	Craven Co., NC; 26 Aug 2007 #1754

Craven Co., NC; 26 Aug 2007 #1804

Georgia Satyr takes off in flight, photographed during its first downstroke! Craven Co., NC 27 Aug 2006

North Carolina Butterflies | North American Butterflies | Jeff's Nature Page

Created on ... June 26, 2003 | Updated on ... Aug 31, 2006 | jspippen@duke.edu