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 97 - 120 of 1458 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 14, 2022
Submitted by: meleposky
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 14, 2022
Observation date: May 10, 2008
Submitted by: L.Hale
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 08, 2022
Observation date: Oct 29, 2022
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 29, 2022
Observation date: Sep 08, 2022
Submitted by: aturney
Region: Texas, Polk County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 22, 2022
Observation date: Aug 17, 2022
Submitted by: Hira Walker
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 19, 2022
Observation date: Jun 09, 2019
Submitted by: pomona17
Region: Howell County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: jamesdurbin
Verified date: Sep 17, 2022
Observation date: Sep 14, 2022
Submitted by: Mikelchap
Region: Glynn County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 17, 2022
Observation date: Mar 08, 2020
Submitted by: LeonelQJ
Region: Yucatan, Mexico
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 12, 2022
Observation date: Sep 01, 2022
Submitted by: Homer E
Region: Athens County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
Observation date: Aug 17, 2022
Submitted by: Kaichou
Region: Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 07, 2022
Observation date: Aug 28, 2022
Submitted by: JamieLynn
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 28, 2022
Observation date: Aug 16, 2022
Submitted by: Mikelchap
Region: Glynn County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 18, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2022
Submitted by: aodpar01
Region: Canadian County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
Observation date: Jun 24, 2022
Submitted by: StaceyNeal
Region: Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 01, 2022
Observation date: Jul 21, 2022
Submitted by: Shane Miller
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: Jun 23, 2022
Submitted by: Kristylardomita
Region: Geauga County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: reupurtbones
Region: Metcalfe County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
Observation date: Jun 16, 2022
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 17, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2022
Submitted by: SuzSchnes
Region: Montgomery County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Jun 14, 2022
Observation date: Jun 07, 2022
Submitted by: JMJaskula
Region: Brown County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 12, 2022
Observation date: Jun 04, 2022
Submitted by: Bald Eagle Mike
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 04, 2022
Observation date: Apr 24, 2022
Submitted by: datilson
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 08, 2022
Observation date: May 03, 2022
Submitted by: JamieLynn
Region: Richmond County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 08, 2022
Observation date: Sep 08, 2019
Submitted by: Allium6010
Region: Ionia County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
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