Tawny Emperor
Asterocampa clyton (Boisduval & Leconte, [1835])
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Apaturinae
Identification: Geographically variable. Upperside is chestnut brown; forewing with 2 brown bars in the cell, no white spots, and no eyespots near the outer margin. Hindwing uppersides are orange with black submarginal spots in one form, and all black in the other form.
Wing Span: 1 5/8 - 2 3/4 inches (4.2 - 7 cm).
Life History: Males perch on trees in full sun to watch for females. Eggs are laid in large groups of 200-500 on bark or the underside of mature leaves of host plants. Caterpillars eat leaves and young ones feed gregariously. Third-stage caterpillars hibernate in groups of about 10 inside a dead curled leaf.
Flight: One brood in the north from June-August, two broods in the south from March-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Trees of the elm family including Celtis occidentalis, C. tenuifolia, C. laevigata, C. lindheimeri, and C. reticulata.
Adult Food: Tree sap, rotting fruit, dung, carrion. Tawny Emperors almost never visit flowers.
Habitat: Densely wooded riparian areas, dry woods, open woods, cities, fencerows, parks.
Range: North Dakota south to Texas, east to New England through most of the southeastern states. Isolated populations in Florida, southwest New Mexico, and southeastern Arizona.
Conservation: Not usually of ocnservation 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.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 241 - 264 of 2078 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 23, 2019
Submitted by: Sue Gregoire
Region: Schuyler County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 24, 2019
Observation date: Jul 22, 2019
Submitted by: Colin Gillette
Region: Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 23, 2019
Observation date: Jul 17, 2019
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 22, 2019
Observation date: Jul 19, 2019
Submitted by: Birder13
Region: Genesee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 19, 2019
Observation date: Jul 07, 2019
Submitted by: loyallonghorn
Region: Fort Bend County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 19, 2019
Observation date: Jul 13, 2019
Submitted by: beastbreath
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 14, 2019
Observation date: Jul 08, 2019
Submitted by: amazondoc
Region: Wilson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jul 12, 2019
Observation date: Jul 11, 2019
Submitted by: MSEmbeck
Region: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 11, 2019
Observation date: Jul 07, 2019
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: Fulton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 10, 2019
Observation date: Jul 06, 2019
Submitted by: WINGSaloftinKS
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 07, 2019
Observation date: Jul 02, 2019
Submitted by: Bluefox122
Region: Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 05, 2019
Observation date: Jul 01, 2019
Submitted by: WINGSaloftinKS
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 01, 2019
Observation date: May 23, 2019
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 29, 2019
Observation date: Jun 21, 2019
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Roane County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jun 24, 2019
Observation date: Jun 04, 2019
Submitted by: bveire
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jun 13, 2019
Observation date: Jun 11, 2019
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jun 12, 2019
Observation date: Jun 06, 2019
Submitted by: ClaudeAllen
Region: Jefferson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 07, 2019
Observation date: Sep 08, 2012
Submitted by: jrfleullan
Region: Bibb County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 03, 2019
Observation date: May 31, 2019
Submitted by: Megamindusn92
Region: Ellis County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 02, 2019
Observation date: May 23, 2019
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Red River Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 25, 2019
Observation date: May 23, 2019
Submitted by: lilkriskattn
Region: Sequatchie County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: May 23, 2019
Observation date: May 17, 2019
Submitted by: tom howe
Region: Blount County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: May 22, 2019
Observation date: May 14, 2019
Submitted by: rdubtx
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 14, 2019
Observation date: May 03, 2019
Submitted by: whbauer
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 03, 2019
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