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 73 - 96 of 2070 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 22, 2020
Submitted by: RobinRich720
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
Observation date: Jul 01, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 12, 2022
Submitted by: bchensel
Region: Miami County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 18, 2022
Observation date: Aug 10, 2022
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Rockingham County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Aug 14, 2022
Observation date: Aug 09, 2022
Submitted by: JamieLynn
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 09, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Page County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Aug 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 01, 2022
Submitted by: Lynn D
Region: Madison County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Aug 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 14, 1974
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Reno County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 02, 2022
Observation date: Jul 26, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 27, 2022
Observation date: Jun 26, 2022
Submitted by: MimTruax
Region: Washington County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2022
Observation date: Jul 17, 2022
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 17, 2022
Observation date: Jun 23, 2022
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Adair County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 23, 2022
Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: Brian Ahern
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 20, 2022
Observation date: Jun 20, 2021
Submitted by: PCD321
Region: Louisa County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 19, 2022
Observation date: Aug 13, 2021
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 02, 2022
Observation date: Jun 26, 2021
Submitted by: John429
Region: Jackson County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Feb 26, 2022
Observation date: Jun 15, 2019
Submitted by: reupurtbones
Region: Metcalfe County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 03, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2019
Submitted by: bjsmit
Region: Fayette County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 02, 2022
Observation date: Sep 03, 2019
Submitted by: Shawnann74
Region: Oldham County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 02, 2022
Observation date: Oct 12, 2021
Submitted by: Saxtonine
Region: Chatham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 15, 2021
Observation date: May 27, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Suwannee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 21, 2021
Observation date: Oct 05, 2021
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Nov 17, 2021
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