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 25 - 48 of 3741 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 19, 2022
Submitted by: acb22
Region: Sangamon County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2025
Observation date: Jul 18, 2025
Submitted by: DebraRade
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2025
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: Allison Barta
Region: Buffalo County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 19, 2025
Observation date: Jul 14, 2025
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 28, 2024
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 12, 2025
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 12, 2025
Observation date: Jul 10, 2025
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 11, 2025
Observation date: Jul 07, 2025
Submitted by: Bo
Region: McHenry County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 11, 2025
Observation date: Jul 10, 2025
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 10, 2025
Submitted by: Cheri Pierce
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025
Observation date: Jun 08, 2025
Submitted by: Blablancwillis
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 04, 2025
Observation date: May 21, 2025
Submitted by: Rwinningham47
Region: DeKalb County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 04, 2025
Observation date: Jun 17, 2025
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Dunn County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 28, 2025
Observation date: Jun 15, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 27, 2025
Observation date: Jun 19, 2025
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Green County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 27, 2025
Observation date: Jun 21, 2025
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 27, 2025
Observation date: Jun 21, 2025
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 22, 2025
Observation date: May 31, 2025
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Jasper County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jun 01, 2025
Observation date: Apr 26, 1990
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: May 19, 2025
Observation date: May 17, 2025
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 17, 2025
Observation date: Jun 14, 2008
Submitted by: cfield
Region: Cabell County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 06, 2025
Observation date: Apr 24, 2025
Submitted by: TJM321
Region: Texas, Williamson County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 04, 2025
Observation date: Aug 03, 2024
Submitted by: zbeckb
Region: Hamilton County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 03, 2025
Observation date: May 02, 2025
Submitted by: scream of the b...
Region: Shelby County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 03, 2025
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