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 409 - 432 of 2078 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 16, 2015
Submitted by: Melinda Fawver
Region: Overton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Aug 17, 2015
Observation date: Aug 16, 2015
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Aug 17, 2015
Observation date: Aug 07, 2015
Submitted by: rjcohrs
Region: Hancock County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Aug 12, 2015
Observation date: Aug 08, 2015
Submitted by: Doug Bruce
Region: Lawrence County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Aug 08, 2015
Observation date: Aug 04, 2015
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Washington County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 05, 2015
Observation date: Aug 01, 2015
Submitted by: Melinda Fawver
Region: Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Aug 02, 2015
Observation date: Jul 12, 2015
Submitted by: lostpineslife
Region: Bastrop County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 01, 2015
Observation date: Jul 31, 2015
Submitted by: TeresaL
Region: Shelby County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 31, 2015
Observation date: Jul 11, 2015
Submitted by: mskasik
Region: Guadalupe County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 31, 2015
Observation date: Jul 28, 2015
Submitted by: TeddyKuma
Region: Texas, Lampasas County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 31, 2015
Observation date: Jul 25, 2015
Submitted by: Doug Bruce
Region: Marshall County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Jul 26, 2015
Observation date: Jul 04, 2015
Submitted by: Ron Smith
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 26, 2015
Observation date: Apr 19, 2015
Submitted by: Ron Smith
Region: Levy County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 26, 2015
Observation date: Jul 15, 2015
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Madison Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Jeff Trahan
Verified date: Jul 20, 2015
Observation date: Jul 18, 2015
Submitted by: Holly Waters
Region: Texas, Tom Green County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 18, 2015
Observation date: Jul 08, 2015
Submitted by: trinectes
Region: Virginia, Warren County, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Jul 17, 2015
Observation date: Jul 08, 2015
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Dunn County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 13, 2015
Observation date: Jun 22, 2008
Submitted by: Joe Saunders
Region: Mercer County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 02, 2015
Observation date: Jun 23, 2015
Submitted by: S. J. Stedman
Region: Smith County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jul 02, 2015
Observation date: Jun 12, 2015
Submitted by: roseanna
Region: Ohio County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 01, 2015
Observation date: Jun 29, 2015
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 30, 2015
Observation date: Jun 11, 2015
Submitted by: mimidharp@yahoo.com
Region: Carroll County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Jun 27, 2015
Observation date: Jun 08, 2015
Submitted by: John Many Wings
Region: Frederick County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Jun 27, 2015
Observation date: Jun 24, 2015
Submitted by: Bill Emch
Region: Chester County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 25, 2015
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