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 1441 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 16, 2024
Submitted by: Moth_Observer01
Region: Nelson County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 01, 2024
Observation date: Jun 22, 2024
Submitted by: NNing
Region: Geauga County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 23, 2024
Observation date: Jun 19, 2024
Submitted by: WMarshall
Region: Floyd County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 20, 2024
Observation date: Jun 12, 2024
Submitted by: Blayne Crabtree
Region: Morgan County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 20, 2024
Observation date: Jun 07, 2024
Submitted by: David Trently
Region: Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 08, 2024
Observation date: Jun 06, 2024
Submitted by: Pepere
Region: Androscoggin County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 07, 2024
Observation date: Jun 04, 2024
Submitted by: Bunji
Region: Wayne County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 06, 2024
Observation date: May 29, 2024
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 29, 2024
Observation date: May 27, 2024
Submitted by: Silbaughelisa
Region: Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 28, 2024
Observation date: May 27, 2024
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 28, 2024
Observation date: Jul 05, 2019
Submitted by: nkyrosen
Region: Owen County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 23, 2024
Observation date: Mar 10, 2024
Submitted by: Aboover
Region: Cameron County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 18, 2024
Observation date: Mar 13, 2024
Submitted by: plawryniuk
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 17, 2024
Observation date: Feb 02, 2024
Submitted by: Bettdev
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 02, 2024
Observation date: Jul 18, 2023
Submitted by: Palmiera
Region: Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 24, 2024
Observation date: Jan 09, 2024
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 09, 2024
Observation date: Jan 03, 2024
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jan 03, 2024
Observation date: Oct 15, 2023
Submitted by: Brendavent
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 17, 2023
Observation date: Sep 15, 2023
Submitted by: Bill Uttenweiler
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 16, 2023
Observation date: Sep 11, 2023
Submitted by: Bugfae
Region: Marion County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 12, 2023
Observation date: Aug 05, 2023
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 11, 2023
Observation date: Aug 03, 2017
Submitted by: ELFredrickson
Region: Powell County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 24, 2023
Submitted by: elkeno
Region: Washington County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 27, 2023
Observation date: Jul 31, 2021
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 22, 2023
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