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 505 - 528 of 2078 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 01, 2013
Submitted by: John LeBlanc
Region: Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Oct 02, 2013
Observation date: Sep 15, 2013
Submitted by: Doug Bruce
Region: Greene County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: stephen stedman
Verified date: Sep 23, 2013
Observation date: Sep 18, 2013
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 20, 2013
Observation date: Sep 12, 2013
Submitted by: mathgeek
Region: Jackson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 13, 2013
Observation date: May 23, 2013
Submitted by: inthelikeness
Region: Comanche County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 13, 2013
Observation date: Jul 21, 2013
Submitted by: wallap47
Region: Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 12, 2013
Observation date: Sep 07, 2013
Submitted by: sdbarker7277
Region: Bledsoe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: stephen stedman
Verified date: Sep 10, 2013
Observation date: Sep 07, 2013
Submitted by: Nancee Cobb
Region: Calhoun County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 10, 2013
Observation date: Aug 31, 2013
Submitted by: Fritz Riedel
Region: Calvert County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Sep 05, 2013
Observation date: Sep 05, 2013
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 05, 2013
Observation date: Aug 26, 2013
Submitted by: blawrence
Region: Prince Georges County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: richardhsmith
Verified date: Sep 05, 2013
Observation date: Sep 03, 2013
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 03, 2013
Observation date: Aug 24, 2013
Submitted by: Jeff Brown
Region: Greene County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 02, 2013
Observation date: Aug 26, 2013
Submitted by: KYWeatherman
Region: Logan County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 27, 2013
Observation date: Aug 30, 2012
Submitted by: KristyBaker
Region: Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: stephen stedman
Verified date: Aug 25, 2013
Observation date: Aug 22, 2013
Submitted by: Becky Byrum
Region: Delaware County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Aug 22, 2013
Observation date: Jul 23, 2013
Submitted by: Americus Garden Inn
Region: Georgia, Sumter County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 22, 2013
Observation date: Aug 02, 2013
Submitted by: Jeff Brown
Region: Montgomery County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 16, 2013
Observation date: Aug 13, 2013
Submitted by: Jeff Brown
Region: Greene County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 15, 2013
Observation date: Aug 14, 2013
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 14, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2003
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 01, 2013
Observation date: Jul 25, 2013
Submitted by: lilkriskattn
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: stephen stedman
Verified date: Jul 30, 2013
Observation date: Jul 21, 2013
Submitted by: laurak
Region: Alachua County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 25, 2013
Observation date: Jul 18, 2013
Submitted by: digginflowers
Region: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 20, 2013
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