Io moth
Automeris io (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Hemileucinae
Identification: Upperside occasionally males from the spring brood will be mostly brown. Female forewings are brown or brownish purple to red and the bands and eyespots may or may not be apparent. Hindwings of both sexes are yellow to brownish orange with yellow or orange margins. Each hindwing has a large black and blue eyespot with a white dash in the middle.
Wing Span: 2 - 3 1/8 inches (5 - 8 cm).
Life History: Adults emerge during late morning or early afternoon, and mating takes place in the late evening. Females lay clumps of eggs on leaves or stems of the host plants. Young caterpillars feed together as a group and move in long "trains" while older caterpillars feed alone. Papery cocoons are spun in litter under the host plant or in crevices.
Flight: One brood in the north from May-June, two to three broods in the south from February-September, several broods throughout the year in the Florida Keys.
Caterpillar Hosts: A variety of plants including hackberry (Celtis), willow (Salix), mesquite (Prosopis), redbud (Cercis), currant (Ribes), blackberry (Rubus), and pear (Pyrus).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous forests, thorn scrub, and suburban areas.
Range: Maine west across southern Canada to southeastern Manitoba, the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Colorado; south to the Florida Keys, the Gulf states, Texas, and New Mexico; Mexico south to Costa Rico.
Conservation: Not usually required.
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 25 - 48 of 1473 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 18, 2025
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 18, 2025
Submitted by: Stefka5
Region: Rockingham County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 23, 2025
Observation date: Jun 28, 2025
Submitted by: Shane Miller
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 21, 2025
Observation date: Aug 17, 2025
Submitted by: Kimberly Miner
Region: Androscoggin County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 19, 2025
Observation date: Jun 20, 2025
Submitted by: Michele Pollock
Region: Brown County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 05, 2025
Observation date: Jun 21, 2025
Submitted by: Shane Miller
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 05, 2025
Observation date: Jul 25, 2025
Submitted by: saramsmith
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 25, 2025
Observation date: Jun 21, 2025
Submitted by: Shane Miller
Region: Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 24, 2025
Observation date: Jul 15, 2025
Submitted by: Reiden
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 15, 2025
Observation date: Jul 09, 2025
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 08, 2025
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 08, 2025
Observation date: Jun 23, 2025
Submitted by: Jessica Howell
Region: Rosebud County, Montana, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 06, 2025
Observation date: Jun 19, 2025
Submitted by: Allison Barta
Region: Cass County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 05, 2025
Observation date: Jun 30, 2002
Submitted by: Cynthia Weber
Region: Manistee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 02, 2025
Observation date: Jun 21, 2025
Submitted by: rmery
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 22, 2025
Observation date: Jun 19, 2025
Submitted by: SWilliams
Region: York County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 21, 2025
Observation date: Jun 14, 2025
Submitted by: fiona7kelly7
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 18, 2025
Observation date: Jun 16, 2025
Submitted by: Ennis_delmar
Region: St. Lawrence County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 17, 2025
Observation date: Jun 06, 2025
Submitted by: scottj4hops
Region: Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 08, 2025
Observation date: May 30, 2025
Submitted by: Eva GM
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 05, 2025
Observation date: Jun 03, 2025
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 03, 2025
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Greenwood County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Feb 17, 2025
Observation date: Dec 06, 2024
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 08, 2024
Observation date: Jul 16, 2023
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Highland County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 19, 2024
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