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 361 - 384 of 2078 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 29, 2016
Submitted by: mandie_marie
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 01, 2016
Observation date: Sep 23, 2016
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Little River County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: Jeff Trahan
Verified date: Sep 26, 2016
Observation date: Aug 06, 2016
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 25, 2016
Observation date: Sep 11, 2016
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 25, 2016
Observation date: Sep 16, 2016
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: Jeff Trahan
Verified date: Sep 17, 2016
Observation date: Sep 02, 2016
Submitted by: mathgeek
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 13, 2016
Observation date: Sep 04, 2016
Submitted by: Doug Bruce
Region: Obion County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Sep 08, 2016
Observation date: Sep 05, 2016
Submitted by: Doug Bruce
Region: Houston County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Sep 07, 2016
Observation date: Aug 31, 2016
Submitted by: mathgeek
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 07, 2016
Observation date: Sep 03, 2016
Submitted by: Doug Bruce
Region: Stewart County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Sep 05, 2016
Observation date: Sep 04, 2016
Submitted by: BQian
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 04, 2016
Observation date: Sep 01, 2016
Submitted by: ddodd
Region: Marshall County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: ddodd
Verified date: Sep 01, 2016
Observation date: Aug 26, 2016
Submitted by: AJ Trently
Region: Maury County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 01, 2016
Observation date: Aug 13, 2016
Submitted by: S. J. Stedman (Larry Little)
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Aug 22, 2016
Observation date: Aug 19, 2016
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Crawford County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 22, 2016
Observation date: Aug 21, 2016
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Aug 22, 2016
Observation date: Aug 13, 2016
Submitted by: Melinda Fawver
Region: Overton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Aug 15, 2016
Observation date: Aug 08, 2016
Submitted by: digginflowers
Region: Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 09, 2016
Observation date: Jul 07, 2016
Submitted by: Okole1808
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 01, 2016
Observation date: Jul 31, 2016
Submitted by: Benjamin Miller
Region: Fairfield County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 31, 2016
Observation date: Jul 09, 2016
Submitted by: marvant
Region: Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 10, 2016
Observation date: Jun 10, 2016
Submitted by: yelpurr54
Region: Frederick County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Jul 08, 2016
Observation date: Nov 09, 2015
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 03, 2016
Observation date: Jun 19, 2016
Submitted by: Melinda Fawver
Region: Meigs County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Jun 28, 2016
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