Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis (Boisduval & Leconte, [1835])
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Apaturinae
Identification: Extremely variable geographically. Upperside is reddish brown. Forewing has 1 submarginal eyespot, a jagged row of white spots, and the cell has 1 solid black bar and 2 separate black spots.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 2 1/2 inches (3.5 - 6.3 cm).
Life History: Hackberry Butterflies fly in a fast and erratic manner, and rest upside down on tree trunks. Males perch on tall objects in sunny areas to watch for females. Eggs are laid in clusters, and the young caterpillars feed communally. Caterpillars overwinter in groups gathered inside dead rolled leaves.
Flight: Two broods from May-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various hackberries (Celtis species) and sugarberry (Celtis laevigata).
Adult Food: Sap, rotting fruit, dung, carrion. Will take moisture at wet spots along roads and streams.
Habitat: Along wooded streams, forest glades and river edges, wooded roadsides, towns.
Range: Resident in most of the eastern United States, central Plains states, and the southwest mountains; northern Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually of conservation concern.
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 241 - 264 of 3765 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 18, 2022
Submitted by: HansPG
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 28, 2022
Observation date: Aug 27, 2022
Submitted by: Mebanite
Region: Orange County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 28, 2022
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 26, 2022
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Montgomery County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
Observation date: Jul 07, 2019
Submitted by: Jennie Lanzendorf
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
Observation date: Aug 14, 2022
Submitted by: Anna_holmes
Region: Madison County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 09, 2022
Submitted by: Dennis Blanton
Region: Staunton, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Aug 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 04, 2022
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Colbert County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
Observation date: Aug 11, 2022
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
Observation date: Aug 09, 2022
Submitted by: Joceb2005
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 09, 2022
Observation date: Aug 07, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 08, 2022
Observation date: Jul 14, 1974
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Reno County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2022
Submitted by: Tiffanympoling
Region: Gray County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
Observation date: Jul 30, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 31, 2022
Observation date: Jul 24, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Major County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 29, 2022
Observation date: Jun 14, 2022
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Montgomery County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 24, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2021
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Texas, Randall County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 22, 2022
Observation date: Jul 19, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Grant County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 21, 2022
Observation date: Jun 24, 2022
Submitted by: mbroen
Region: St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: KABerry
Region: Bourbon County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 18, 2022
Observation date: Jun 14, 2019
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 14, 2022
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