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 265 - 288 of 2078 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 29, 2019
Submitted by: azureskies
Region: Burnet County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 30, 2019
Observation date: Apr 05, 2019
Submitted by: Redaprildawn1969
Region: Texas, Montgomery County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 06, 2019
Observation date: Apr 03, 2019
Submitted by: Bill Uttenweiler
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 04, 2019
Observation date: Mar 27, 2019
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 30, 2019
Observation date: May 02, 2018
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 03, 2019
Observation date: Aug 08, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Duigon
Region: York County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Dec 05, 2018
Observation date: Nov 04, 2018
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 26, 2018
Observation date: Jul 07, 2016
Submitted by: marley
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 21, 2018
Observation date: Oct 13, 2018
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 14, 2018
Observation date: Sep 19, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 13, 2018
Observation date: Sep 20, 2018
Submitted by: HSVGardenGirl
Region: Saline County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 13, 2018
Observation date: Sep 15, 2018
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Williamson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 25, 2018
Observation date: Aug 28, 2018
Submitted by: Mr. T2
Region: Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 15, 2018
Observation date: Aug 29, 2018
Submitted by: KS bird-man
Region: Saline County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2018
Observation date: Sep 10, 2018
Submitted by: Littlewing
Region: Crawford County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2018
Observation date: Aug 24, 2017
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Roane County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 10, 2018
Observation date: Aug 26, 2018
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 01, 2018
Observation date: Aug 21, 2018
Submitted by: Englishman
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 27, 2018
Observation date: Aug 23, 2017
Submitted by: Kevin Groeneweg
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 22, 2018
Observation date: Aug 16, 2018
Submitted by: Justme
Region: Butler County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 18, 2018
Observation date: Oct 25, 2017
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 15, 2018
Observation date: Aug 08, 2018
Submitted by: MothLady41
Region: Manatee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 14, 2018
Observation date: Jul 07, 2018
Submitted by: Ilona L.
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 06, 2018
Observation date: Jul 26, 2018
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 04, 2018
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