Common Wood-Nymph in Howard Co., Maryland (7/25/2020). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 303803 - Psn: 15)

Common Wood-Nymph in Howard Co., Maryland (7/25/2020). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Emilio Concari MBP List

Common Wood-Nymph in Allegany Co., Maryland (7/10/2021).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Moore MBP List

Common Wood-Nymph in Dorchester Co., Maryland (8/26/2019).

View Record Details Photo by Wayne Longbottom MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph in Charles Co., Maryland (6/2007).

Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/4/2018).

View Record Details Photo by Dave Kidwell MBP List

Common Wood-Nymph in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/14/2005). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 916090 - Psn: 25)

View Record Details Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

Common Wood-Nymph in Garrett Co., Maryland (7/11/2022).

View Record Details Photo by Lydia Fravel MBP List

Common Wood-Nymph in Charles Co., Maryland (6/30/2007). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 916089 - Psn: 45)

View Record Details Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph in Dorchester Co., Maryland (9/13/2014).

View Record Details Photo by Mark Etheridge MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph in Garrett Co., Maryland (8/31/2019).

View Record Details Photo by William Blauvelt MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph in Charles Co., Maryland (7/11/2020).

View Record Details Photo by Frode Jacobsen MBP List

Common Wood-Nymph in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/24/2012). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 471972 - Psn: 55)

Common Wood-Nymph in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/24/2012). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/1/2015).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Wilkinson MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph in Worcester Co., Maryland (9/13/2013).

View Record Details Photo by Scott Housten MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (9/5/2015). Verified by Richard Smith/BAMONA.

View Record Details Photo by Tyler Bell MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph in Talbot Co., Maryland (8/27/2015).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Keim MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph in Baltimore City, Maryland (7/13/2006).

View Record Details Photo by Thomas Wilson MBP List

A Common Wood-Nymph collected in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/1/2001).

View Record Details Photo by Mark Etheridge MBP List

Common Wood-Nymph in Charles Co., Maryland (8/10/2025). (c) Birder20714, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 1326534 - Psn: 200)

Common Wood-Nymph in Charles Co., Maryland (8/10/2025). (c) Birder20714, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Stasz MBP List

Common Wood-Nymph in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/22/2025). (c) Sean D Sipple, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 1333254 - Psn: 200)

View Record Details Photo by Sean Sipple via iNaturalist MBP List

Common Wood-Nymph in Garrett Co., Maryland (7/21/2013). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

View Record Details Photo by Frode Jacobsen MBP List

Common Wood-Nymph in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/19/2014). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

View Record Details Photo by Frode Jacobsen MBP List

Map Snapshot

468 Records

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Status

Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala) is a variably-marked satyr species, often common in brushy fields and meadows, and into nearby forest. Some populations have pale yellow patches on the wings, making identification straightforward, while others lack the patch. It is attracted to rotten fruit, tree sap, and animal dung, but also will occasionally feed on flowers (Allen, 1997). This butterfly has one flight, from July to August (Butterflies of Maryland: A Biological Summary and Checklist by Lynn Davidson & Richard Smith).

Relationships

This butterfly uses grasses as hosts. In West Virginia, it has been recorded using Poverty Oatgrass (Danthonia spicata), Purpletop Tridens (Tridens flavus), bluestems (Andropogon) and bluegrasses (Poa sp.) (Allen, 1997).

Seasonality Summary

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Resources

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Citations

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Use of media featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

Common Wood-Nymph in Howard Co., Maryland (7/25/2020). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Emilio Concari.

Common Wood-Nymph in Allegany Co., Maryland (7/10/2021). View Record Details Media by Jim Moore.

Common Wood-Nymph in Dorchester Co., Maryland (8/26/2019). View Record Details Media by Wayne Longbottom.

A Common Wood-Nymph in Charles Co., Maryland (6/2007). Media by Bill Hubick.

A Common Wood-Nymph in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/4/2018). View Record Details Media by Dave Kidwell.

Common Wood-Nymph in Garrett Co., Maryland (7/11/2022). View Record Details Media by Lydia Fravel.

A Common Wood-Nymph in Dorchester Co., Maryland (9/13/2014). View Record Details Media by Mark Etheridge.

A Common Wood-Nymph in Garrett Co., Maryland (8/31/2019). View Record Details Media by William Blauvelt.

A Common Wood-Nymph in Charles Co., Maryland (7/11/2020). View Record Details Media by Frode Jacobsen.

Common Wood-Nymph in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/24/2012). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist.

A Common Wood-Nymph in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/1/2015). View Record Details Media by Jim Wilkinson.

A Common Wood-Nymph in Worcester Co., Maryland (9/13/2013). View Record Details Media by Scott Housten.

A Common Wood-Nymph in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (9/5/2015). Verified by Richard Smith/BAMONA. View Record Details Media by Tyler Bell.

A Common Wood-Nymph in Talbot Co., Maryland (8/27/2015). View Record Details Media by Bill Keim.

A Common Wood-Nymph in Baltimore City, Maryland (7/13/2006). View Record Details Media by Thomas Wilson.

A Common Wood-Nymph collected in Frederick Co., Maryland (7/1/2001). View Record Details Media by Mark Etheridge.

Common Wood-Nymph in Charles Co., Maryland (8/10/2025). (c) Birder20714, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Jim Stasz.

Common Wood-Nymph in Garrett Co., Maryland (7/21/2013). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) View Record Details Media by Frode Jacobsen.

Common Wood-Nymph in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/19/2014). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) View Record Details Media by Frode Jacobsen.