Royal Walnut Moth
Citheronia regalis (Fabricius, 1793)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Ceratocampinae
Identification: Females are larger than males. Upperside of forewing is gray with red-orange veins and creamy yellow spots. Upperside of hindwing is orange with creamy yellow at the costa and inner margin.
Wing Span: 3 15/16 - 6 1/4 inches (10 - 16 cm).
Life History: Adults emerge in late evening and mate the following evening. Females begin laying eggs at dusk the next day, depositing them in groups of 1-3 on both sides of host plant leaves. Eggs hatch within 6-10 days, and the caterpillars (known as the Hickory Horned Devil) feed alone. Young caterpillars rest on the tops of leaves and resemble bird droppings, while older caterpillars appear menacing because they are very large and brightly colored with red "horns" near the head. Caterpillars pupate in a burrow in the soil.
Flight: One brood from May through mid-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Hickories (Carya), pecan (C. illinoensis), butternut (Juglans cinerea), black walnut (J. nigra), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), sumacs (Rhus), cultivated cotton (Gossypium), and others.
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous woods.
Range: New York west through southern Michigan and Illinois to eastern Kansas; south to central Florida, the Gulf states, 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.
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 241 - 264 of 1076 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 01, 2018
Submitted by: Chief50
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Ken Childs
Verified date: Jul 09, 2018
Observation date: Jun 30, 2018
Submitted by: 237ward
Region: Transylvania County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 09, 2018
Observation date: Jul 04, 2018
Submitted by: ollie24
Region: Horry County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 04, 2018
Observation date: Jun 30, 2018
Submitted by: JECaracci34
Region: Yancey County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 04, 2018
Observation date: Jul 03, 2018
Submitted by: rschwartz
Region: Pitt County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 04, 2018
Observation date: Jul 02, 2018
Submitted by: c_langhorne
Region: Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 02, 2018
Observation date: Jun 21, 2018
Submitted by: C.Barbour
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 23, 2018
Observation date: Jun 20, 2018
Submitted by: Mrschristystevens
Region: Crawford County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 20, 2018
Observation date: Jun 09, 2018
Submitted by: onebrenna
Region: Rogers County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 09, 2018
Observation date: Jun 05, 2018
Submitted by: Elp327
Region: Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 05, 2018
Observation date: May 31, 2018
Submitted by: tdenise
Region: Spencer County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 31, 2018
Observation date: Aug 24, 2016
Submitted by: fefememe
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: May 13, 2018
Observation date: Sep 03, 2016
Submitted by: dgalbally@yahoo.com
Region: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 07, 2018
Observation date: Sep 09, 2017
Submitted by: snakeowl
Region: Fulton County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Nov 17, 2017
Observation date: Jun 04, 2016
Submitted by: OSUChaddy
Region: Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Nov 13, 2017
Observation date: Jul 10, 2011
Submitted by: mkoskovich
Region: Roanoke, Virginia, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Nov 13, 2017
Observation date: Aug 29, 2017
Submitted by: FVH72
Region: Barrow County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Oct 12, 2017
Observation date: Aug 30, 2005
Submitted by: ugugusgili
Region: Jackson County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Oct 04, 2017
Observation date: Jul 16, 2016
Submitted by: Sandra Pertica
Region: Virginia, Warren County, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Oct 04, 2017
Observation date: Jul 23, 2017
Submitted by: Elizabeth Wolfe
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Ken Childs
Verified date: Sep 27, 2017
Observation date: Sep 24, 2017
Submitted by: BettyJane
Region: Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 25, 2017
Observation date: Sep 18, 2017
Submitted by: neereid31
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 21, 2017
Observation date: Sep 11, 2017
Submitted by: Englishman
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 19, 2017
Observation date: Sep 01, 2017
Submitted by: sshively
Region: Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 09, 2017
- ‹ previous
- 11 of 45
- next ›