Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Saturniinae
Identification: Body is red with a white collar and white bands on the abdomen. Wings are dark brown with white hairlike scales giving a frosted appearance; forewings are red at the base. Crescent spots and the area outside the postmedian line are red on all wings.
Wing Span: 4 5/16 - 5 7/8 inches (11 - 15 cm).
Life History: Females lay rows of 2-6 eggs on both sides of the leaves of small host trees or shrubs. Eggs hatch in 10-14 days. Young caterpillars feed in groups on leaves; older caterpillars are solitary. The cocoon is attached along its full length to a twig; to escape predation by rodents and birds, the cocoon is usually constructed in a dark, protected area.
Flight: One flight from March-July in most of the range; two flights in the Midwest, from May-early June and then 2 weeks later.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various trees and shrubs including box elder (Acer negundo), sugar maple (Acer saccharinum), wild cherries and plums (Prunus), apples (Malus), alder and birch (Betulaceae), dogwoods (Cornus), and willows (Salix).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Successional habitats in many areas including urban and suburban environments.
Range: Nova Scotia and Maine south to Florida; west across southern Canada and the eastern United States to the Rocky Mountains.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 73 - 96 of 2104 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: Tylerf81
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 07, 2022
Observation date: Sep 16, 2020
Submitted by: JenIfer Wekwert
Region: Wexford County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 07, 2022
Observation date: Nov 13, 2011
Submitted by: Andrea Henley Heyn
Region: Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 01, 2021
Observation date: Sep 04, 2014
Submitted by: Satch
Region: Cattaraugus County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 26, 2021
Observation date: May 27, 2006
Submitted by: Peg Serani
Region: Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Nov 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 13, 2021
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 04, 2021
Observation date: Aug 28, 2021
Submitted by: butterflylover85
Region: Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: mdelorme
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 14, 2021
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 05, 2021
Observation date: Jul 20, 2020
Submitted by: AV-Photo1
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 25, 2021
Observation date: Jul 02, 2021
Submitted by: alaimins
Region: Kane County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: May 30, 2021
Submitted by: DetroitVinylRob
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Jul 12, 2021
Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: FlutterbyLynn
Region: Rensselaer County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 07, 2021
Submitted by: blueracer
Region: Ashland County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: Jun 21, 2021
Submitted by: NortonHarris
Region: Muskingum County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Jun 28, 2021
Observation date: Jun 21, 2021
Submitted by: szapata
Region: Woodford County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 23, 2021
Observation date: Jun 14, 2021
Submitted by: LLFarms
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 15, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: girtzl2003
Region: Houghton County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 08, 2021
Submitted by: jgapinski
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: shawn59102
Region: Yellowstone County, Montana, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 08, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: Sj2squared
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 06, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: mklaymon8
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: Colin Gillette
Region: Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
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