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 529 - 552 of 2079 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 18, 2013
Submitted by: digginflowers
Region: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 20, 2013
Observation date: Jun 08, 2013
Submitted by: James_Shelton32
Region: Richmond, Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 15, 2013
Observation date: Jun 30, 2013
Submitted by: wvbirder
Region: Loudoun County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 15, 2013
Observation date: Jul 06, 2013
Submitted by: Doug Bruce
Region: Hardeman County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: stephen stedman
Verified date: Jul 13, 2013
Observation date: Jul 11, 2013
Submitted by: AddieSpangler
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 11, 2013
Observation date: Jul 04, 2013
Submitted by: painted lady
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 06, 2013
Observation date: Jul 02, 2013
Submitted by: Sara Gardner Blow
Region: Coffey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 04, 2013
Observation date: Jun 29, 2013
Submitted by: Pcasteel
Region: Cheatham County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: stephen stedman
Verified date: Jul 01, 2013
Observation date: Jun 29, 2013
Submitted by: ms722
Region: Cheatham County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: stephen stedman
Verified date: Jul 01, 2013
Observation date: Jul 16, 2012
Submitted by: Jeff Brown
Region: Montgomery County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 29, 2013
Observation date: Jun 21, 2013
Submitted by: gunhilda
Region: Payne County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 21, 2013
Observation date: Jun 16, 2013
Submitted by: Nancee Cobb
Region: Alachua County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 20, 2013
Observation date: Jun 08, 2013
Submitted by: TallyCannon
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 20, 2013
Observation date: Jun 07, 2013
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 07, 2013
Observation date: May 12, 2013
Submitted by: garyposs
Region: Comal County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 13, 2013
Observation date: Jul 26, 2008
Submitted by: tjantscher
Region: Mills County, Iowa, United States
Verified by: Dennis Schlicht
Verified date: Feb 03, 2013
Observation date: Aug 26, 2012
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Perry County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Apr 08, 2012
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Oct 01, 2006
Submitted by: John Saba (John Saba)
Region: Pinal County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 04, 2012
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Perry County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Sep 21, 2012
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Sara Bright / Paulette Ogard)
Region: Perry County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: May 05, 2012
Submitted by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Region: Lawrence County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Sep 28, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Richard Bailowitz)
Region: Pinal County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 05, 2012
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Patsy Harris Russo)
Region: Baldwin County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: vitaly charny (Vitaly Charny)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
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