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Mitchell's Satyr Rangewide HCP

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What is a Mitchell's Satyr?

The Mitchell’s satyr butterfly is a small (1.5 to 2 inches) brown butterfly that lives in grassy wetlands called “fens.” They spend most of the year as caterpillars, then turn into butterflies and fly for only a few weeks in late June and July. They fly slowly and are often seen near young tamarack trees or poison sumac shrubs.

Populations of Mitchell’s satyr butterflies have been disappearing for several decades as wetlands have been drained, changed, or as grassy wetlands converted to shrubs and trees. Only 19 populations are left in the world, 17 in Michigan and 2 in Indiana. Without a well-planned effort to save satyr habitat, this species could go extinct in the foreseeable future.

For more information on the Mitchell’s satyr butterfly:

USFWS Fact Sheet
Michigan Natural Features Inventory abstract

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