Polygonia satyrus neomarsyas

Beginner Rearing Instructions:  Click here

Photo Life History: Polygonia satyrus neomarsyas

Habitat:  Mountain Canyons; Valley Lakes & Rivers; Mountain Hilltops

Host Plants:  Urtica dioica

Suitable Lab Host Plants:

How to Find Female Butterflies:  Click here. 

Caring for Live Female Butterflies:  Nectaring techniques

Methods of Female Oviposition:  Portable Cages; Expose caged females to filtered sunlight. 

How to Find Eggs: Look on leaves.

How to Hatch Eggs:  Consolidate eggs into one container.

How to Find Caterpillars in the Field: Look for Nymphalid Nests.   The key to finding satyr comma caterpillars is recognizing and locating their unique nests on the stinging nettle.  The latter part of this video provides examples.

How to Find Pupae in the Field: 

Caterpillar setups:  Open terrariums; Open Bucket

Larva to Pupa:  Caterpillar silks to leaf or twig; creates and attaches cremaster; hanging as a J before pupating.

Number of Broods per Year:  1-2; depending upon location

Overwintering Stage:  Adult

Overwintering Strategies:

Post-Hibernation Strategies: 

Emergence:  Emergence Container

Avoiding Diapause Techniques:  

Disease Prevention:  Change out host plant and remove frass every four to five days in an open bucket or open terrarium setup. 

Emergence:  Emergence Container

Field Notes:  Larva from Northern Utah refused hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) in the lab.