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 97 - 120 of 2070 verified sightings
Observation date: May 31, 2020
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Nov 15, 2021
Observation date: Jun 26, 2019
Submitted by: jwilkinson
Region: Washington County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2019
Submitted by: AshNota
Region: Washington County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2019
Submitted by: jwilkinson
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 03, 2021
Observation date: Aug 22, 2021
Submitted by: Smalltowngirl
Region: Hawkins County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: S. J. Stedman
Verified date: Oct 29, 2021
Observation date: Sep 23, 2021
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 08, 2021
Observation date: Jul 08, 2021
Submitted by: justkim1106
Region: Texas, Uvalde County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 19, 2021
Observation date: Aug 29, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 07, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Alachua County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 26, 2021
Observation date: Aug 02, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Alachua County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 26, 2021
Observation date: Jun 24, 2021
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 23, 2021
Observation date: Aug 03, 2021
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Wichita County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 05, 2021
Observation date: Jul 27, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 28, 2021
Observation date: Jul 17, 2021
Submitted by: David Trently
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 26, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2021
Submitted by: SarahJoSaunders
Region: Kent County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 25, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: Sapper Dan
Region: Bell County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 25, 2021
Observation date: Jul 15, 2021
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 25, 2021
Observation date: Jun 27, 2021
Submitted by: Cardinal52
Region: Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 06, 2021
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Red River Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: jdzingle
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: Jgumbeaux
Region: Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 02, 2021
Observation date: Jun 27, 2021
Submitted by: pporonto
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 28, 2021
Observation date: Jun 23, 2021
Submitted by: Wheels5683
Region: Guadalupe County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 26, 2021
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