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 265 - 288 of 3765 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 05, 2022
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 13, 2022
Submitted by: JHummel
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 02, 2022
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Wilson County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 02, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: Worthaly
Region: Baca County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 02, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2016
Submitted by: aap2nd
Region: Virginia, Warren County, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 25, 2022
Observation date: Jun 16, 2022
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Adair County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 23, 2022
Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: Thomas J Guglielmo
Region: Westchester County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 22, 2022
Observation date: Aug 02, 1971
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Jun 11, 2022
Submitted by: mdcall
Region: Ray County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: May 24, 2021
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Jun 19, 2022
Submitted by: jbug74
Region: Stephenson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 06, 2021
Submitted by: tmlehman
Region: Adams County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Aug 27, 2021
Submitted by: JimPurvis
Region: Tipton County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: Topaz11
Region: Accomack County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Sep 06, 2020
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 13, 2021
Submitted by: chherrmann
Region: Fairfax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 19, 2022
Observation date: Aug 03, 2021
Submitted by: monkeyslug
Region: Portsmouth, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 19, 2022
Observation date: Sep 09, 2021
Submitted by: HansPG
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Jun 16, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 13, 2022
Observation date: Jun 04, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 31, 2022
Observation date: May 24, 2022
Submitted by: cinder
Region: Paulding County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 28, 2022
Observation date: Apr 24, 2022
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Blanco County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 20, 2022
Observation date: Apr 23, 2022
Submitted by: satchmo0802
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: May 09, 2022
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