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 433 - 456 of 2078 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 18, 2015
Submitted by: roseanna
Region: Garrard County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 18, 2015
Observation date: Jun 06, 2015
Submitted by: Doug Bruce
Region: Roane County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Jun 07, 2015
Observation date: Nov 20, 2013
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 01, 2015
Observation date: May 27, 2015
Submitted by: Robalero
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 28, 2015
Observation date: Jun 04, 2014
Submitted by: JHCarpenter
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: May 26, 2015
Observation date: Apr 25, 2015
Submitted by: Robalero
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 10, 2015
Observation date: May 01, 2015
Submitted by: whbauer
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 02, 2015
Observation date: Apr 05, 2015
Submitted by: KristyBaker
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 30, 2015
Observation date: Apr 19, 2015
Submitted by: H Hooper
Region: Wakulla County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 22, 2015
Observation date: Mar 22, 2015
Submitted by: vixxie
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 21, 2015
Observation date: Nov 03, 2014
Submitted by: Robalero
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 13, 2015
Observation date: Jul 15, 1979
Submitted by: Indy Entomologist
Region: Marshall County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Apr 08, 2015
Observation date: Jun 19, 2013
Submitted by: Allen Belden
Region: Cumberland County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Mar 19, 2015
Observation date: Jun 28, 1979
Submitted by: Indy Entomologist
Region: Pulaski County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Mar 19, 2015
Observation date: May 26, 2010
Submitted by: Allen Belden
Region: Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Mar 19, 2015
Observation date: Aug 09, 2014
Submitted by: sawmillrun
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Mar 15, 2015
Observation date: Nov 08, 2014
Submitted by: wolfbird
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 12, 2015
Observation date: Aug 22, 2014
Submitted by: Nancy Witthuhn
Region: Ness County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 26, 2015
Observation date: Aug 25, 2014
Submitted by: Carol Thornton-...
Region: Washington County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Feb 25, 2015
Observation date: Jul 11, 2010
Submitted by: Indy Entomologist
Region: Clinton County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Feb 21, 2015
Observation date: Aug 21, 2014
Submitted by: Carol Thornton-...
Region: Orange County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Feb 18, 2015
Observation date: Oct 05, 2014
Submitted by: KristyBaker
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 27, 2014
Observation date: Apr 07, 2014
Submitted by: KristyBaker
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 27, 2014
Observation date: Sep 25, 2010
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Dec 14, 2014
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