Eyed brown

The range of the eyed brown covers eastern North America from Nova Scotia south to Delaware and west to Saskatchewan and Nebraska. In New Jersey, the eyed brown is found in the northern part of the state, with most reports coming from Sussex County.

The eyed brown occupies open wetlands including sedge meadows and cattail marshes. It can also be found along slow moving streams where there is growth of tall grasses.

The larval host plants include various sedges (Carex spp.). Adults will occasionally feed on the nectar of flowing plants such as swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnate). More often, they feed on rotting fruit, sap, and bird droppings.

The female lays eggs singly on multiple leaves. The larvae consume the leaves of the host plant and develop until the third or fourth instar stage, then stop maturing to overwinter. When the weather warms, they form a chrysalis and emerge for a flight period that lasts from early June to late July.

Despite its large range, the eyed brown is found on a local basis. Due to its special habitat needs and small range in the state of New Jersey, it is recommended as a “special concern” species. This means that it is especially vulnerable to changes in habitat. Current focus is on monitoring populations and considering conservation needs.

Most of these conservation efforts nationwide focus on a subspecies of the eyed brown, the smoky eyed brown (Satyrodes eurydice fumosa). The smoky eyed brown is found in Colorado, Illonois, Iowa, and Nebraska and is considered threatened throughout its range. Current goals involve studying the species in order to develop a conservation plan.

In 2015, the New Jersey Endangered and Nongame Advisory Committee recommended a Special Concern status for this species within the state, but no formal rule proposal has been filed to date.