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 217 - 240 of 3765 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 08, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 10, 2022
Observation date: Oct 09, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 10, 2022
Observation date: Aug 02, 2021
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Wichita County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 09, 2022
Observation date: Aug 08, 2021
Submitted by: marlin and connie
Region: Texas, Swisher County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 08, 2022
Observation date: Aug 23, 2021
Submitted by: lilkriskattn
Region: Texas, Montague County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 07, 2022
Observation date: Aug 02, 2017
Submitted by: SarahNikkiDee
Region: Woodford County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Sep 27, 2022
Observation date: Aug 15, 2022
Submitted by: RMusgr
Region: Richmond, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Sep 27, 2022
Observation date: Sep 21, 2022
Submitted by: Bonnie B
Region: Georgia, Wilkes County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 22, 2022
Observation date: Aug 21, 2022
Submitted by: Eric Wood
Region: Boone County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 18, 2022
Observation date: Sep 16, 2022
Submitted by: cineastefabre
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Jul 04, 2017
Submitted by: ChampionDovar
Region: St. Charles County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: jamesdurbin
Verified date: Sep 13, 2022
Observation date: Aug 21, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 11, 2022
Observation date: Sep 09, 2022
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Fentress County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Sep 04, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
Observation date: Sep 04, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
Observation date: Sep 05, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
Observation date: Aug 24, 2022
Submitted by: Jdlmschlatter
Region: Bedford County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 02, 2022
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: Roose
Region: Saginaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
Observation date: Aug 29, 2022
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
Observation date: Aug 29, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
Observation date: Jul 22, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 29, 2022
Observation date: Jul 26, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 29, 2022
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