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 289 - 312 of 3765 verified sightings
Observation date: May 05, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 08, 2022
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: jmthornton
Region: Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 14, 2021
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 19, 2022
Observation date: Aug 14, 2021
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 19, 2022
Observation date: Sep 18, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Luna County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 14, 2022
Observation date: Sep 18, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Luna County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region:
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 15, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region:
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 12, 2022
Observation date: Jul 16, 2021
Submitted by: AnKrichten
Region: Jefferson County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: jasondroberts
Verified date: Mar 10, 2022
Observation date: Sep 21, 2021
Submitted by: danielfoxnm
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 19, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 04, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2019
Submitted by: Brynne Bryan
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 07, 2022
Observation date: Jun 15, 2020
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Jan 26, 2022
Observation date: Aug 31, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 20, 2022
Observation date: Sep 10, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 18, 2022
Observation date: Sep 08, 2021
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 18, 2022
Observation date: Jul 13, 2017
Submitted by: starchase
Region: Chatham County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jan 14, 2022
Observation date: Sep 02, 2018
Submitted by: maddkat125
Region: Jefferson County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 05, 2022
Observation date: Jul 13, 2019
Submitted by: reupurtbones
Region: Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 29, 2019
Submitted by: reupurtbones
Region: Warren County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 02, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2019
Submitted by: reupurtbones
Region: Garrard County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 02, 2022
Observation date: Sep 11, 2019
Submitted by: Lovinssk
Region: Campbell County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 08, 2021
Submitted by: Tom Wiseman
Region: Fayette County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 01, 2022
Observation date: Aug 20, 2021
Submitted by: Cardinal52
Region: Fayette County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Dec 31, 2021
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