Promethea silkmoth
Callosamia promethea (Drury, 1773)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Saturniinae
Identification: Males and females differ. Male body is black; wings are black with tan borders, faint tan postmedian lines, and pink near the eyespots on the forewing tips. Female wings are dark brown to reddish-brown with tan borders and well-developed tan cell spots on all wings.
Wing Span: 2 15/16 - 3 3/4 inches (7.5 - 9.5 cm).
Life History: Males seek females in the afternoon and early evening, with most mating occurring from 4 PM to sunset. At night, females lay rows of 4-10 eggs on the upperside of host plant leaves. Young caterpillars feed together while older caterpillars are solitary. Older caterpillars do not eat the leaf midvein, but cut the leaf petiole at the base so it falls to the ground, perhaps a defensive measure eliminating visual or olfactory signs of feeding. A caterpillar ready to pupate strengthens a leaf petiole with silk and then spins its cocoon inside the curled leaf. The cocoon hangs from the host plant throughout the winter.
Flight: One brood from May-July in the north, two broods from March-May and in August in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: A broad range of plants including spicebush (Lindera benzoin), sassafras (Sassafras albidum), tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana), white ash (Fraxinus americana), lilac (Syringa vulgaris), and others.
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous woodlands.
Range: Eastern United States to the Great Plains and Maine west through southern Quebec and Wisconsin to Minnesota; south to the Florida panhandle, the Gulf coast, and east Texas.
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 433 - 456 of 869 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 13, 2013
Submitted by: Castella56
Region: Dutchess County, New York, United States
Verified by: H.D. McGuinness
Verified date: Sep 27, 2013
Observation date: Aug 24, 2013
Submitted by: CaraSong
Region: Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 19, 2013
Observation date: Aug 03, 2013
Submitted by: lgrayart
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 12, 2013
Observation date: Jul 12, 2013
Submitted by: Erezek
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jul 31, 2013
Observation date: Jul 18, 2013
Submitted by: ranger91
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jul 30, 2013
Observation date: Jun 02, 2013
Submitted by: klavierabend
Region: Orange County, New York, United States
Verified by: H.D. McGuinness
Verified date: Jul 15, 2013
Observation date: Jul 11, 2013
Submitted by: Pattikak
Region: Dutchess County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 13, 2013
Observation date: Jul 05, 2013
Submitted by: Aboover
Region: Knox County, Maine, United States
Verified by: anthony.thomas
Verified date: Jul 09, 2013
Observation date: Jul 01, 2013
Submitted by: sneang84
Region: York (mainland only) County, Maine, United States
Verified by: anthony.thomas
Verified date: Jul 02, 2013
Observation date: Jun 25, 2013
Submitted by: Mikefallen13
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 29, 2013
Observation date: Jun 20, 2013
Submitted by: brittonfaith
Region: Lawrence County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 28, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: cdw9
Region: Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jun 15, 2013
Observation date: Jun 11, 2013
Submitted by: savdbygrace2
Region: Allegany County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 12, 2013
Observation date: Jun 09, 2013
Submitted by: djc5656
Region: Kent County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jun 11, 2013
Observation date: May 29, 2013
Submitted by: RayBeers31
Region: Suffolk County, New York, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jun 03, 2013
Observation date: Jun 01, 2013
Submitted by: ildikoVT
Region: Addison County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jun 03, 2013
Observation date: May 30, 2013
Submitted by: kfisherny
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jun 03, 2013
Observation date: May 30, 2013
Submitted by: ildikoVT
Region: Addison County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jun 03, 2013
Observation date: May 31, 2013
Submitted by: ildikoVT
Region: Addison County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jun 03, 2013
Observation date: May 30, 2013
Submitted by: KellyB
Region: Allegany County, New York, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jun 01, 2013
Observation date: May 27, 2013
Submitted by: Nancyo
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 30, 2013
Observation date: May 23, 2013
Submitted by: bmuses
Region: Rockland County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: May 24, 2013
Observation date: May 18, 2013
Submitted by: lachatonne
Region: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 19, 2013
Observation date: May 13, 2013
Submitted by: CosmicTwister
Region: Graham County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 13, 2013
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