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 457 - 480 of 2078 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 09, 2014
Submitted by: Kurt R. Schwarz
Region: Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 09, 2014
Observation date: Nov 10, 2014
Submitted by: Kurt R. Schwarz
Region: Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 09, 2014
Observation date: Sep 04, 2014
Submitted by: rosedrakon
Region: Pittsylvania County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Sep 14, 2014
Observation date: Sep 05, 2014
Submitted by: Doug Bruce
Region: Wayne County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Sep 14, 2014
Observation date: Sep 07, 2014
Submitted by: HHowell
Region: Grainger County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 12, 2014
Observation date: Aug 03, 2014
Submitted by: Lois Stacey
Region: Georgia, Screven County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 11, 2014
Observation date: May 13, 2000
Submitted by: jimbridges
Region: Fort Bend County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2014
Observation date: Sep 04, 2014
Submitted by: S. J. Stedman
Region: Carroll County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 09, 2014
Observation date: Sep 02, 2014
Submitted by: S. J. Stedman
Region: Bedford County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 08, 2014
Observation date: Sep 03, 2014
Submitted by: S. J. Stedman
Region: Lake County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 08, 2014
Observation date: Sep 04, 2014
Submitted by: rconnorsphoto
Region: Humphreys County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 06, 2014
Observation date: Aug 31, 2014
Submitted by: dengwer
Region: Texas, Matagorda County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 31, 2014
Observation date: Aug 23, 2014
Submitted by: S. J. Stedman
Region: Pickett County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Aug 24, 2014
Observation date: Aug 08, 2014
Submitted by: Paul Tavares
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 09, 2014
Observation date: Aug 02, 2014
Submitted by: cosmic_cat
Region: Harrison County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 05, 2014
Observation date: Jul 25, 2014
Submitted by: jwilkinson
Region: Washington County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Aug 02, 2014
Observation date: Jul 16, 2014
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 30, 2014
Observation date: Jul 29, 2014
Submitted by: Englishman
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 30, 2014
Observation date: Jul 29, 2014
Submitted by: juliereid
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 29, 2014
Observation date: Jul 25, 2014
Submitted by: juliereid
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 27, 2014
Observation date: Jun 29, 2014
Submitted by: mrgrinch09
Region: Jefferson County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 21, 2014
Observation date: Jul 16, 2014
Submitted by: ChrisBlox
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 18, 2014
Observation date: Jun 23, 2006
Submitted by: roseanna
Region: Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 18, 2014
Observation date: Jul 14, 2014
Submitted by: gpstewart
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 16, 2014
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