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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 145 - 168 of 1076 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 11, 2020
Submitted by: Kimmied522
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 11, 2020
Observation date: Jul 10, 2020
Submitted by: brian7379
Region: Summit County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 11, 2020
Observation date: Jun 28, 2020
Submitted by: Shirley.Tinker
Region: Gloucester County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 09, 2020
Observation date: Jul 08, 2020
Submitted by: Rogue1
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 08, 2020
Observation date: Jul 08, 2020
Submitted by: LisaLPharmD
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 08, 2020
Observation date: Jun 24, 2020
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 04, 2020
Observation date: Jun 12, 2020
Submitted by: Stayathm39
Region: Adair County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 23, 2020
Observation date: Jun 11, 2020
Submitted by: blackmagicmage
Region: Burke County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 17, 2020
Observation date: Jun 13, 2020
Submitted by: Kristib117
Region: Rowan County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 13, 2020
Observation date: Jun 03, 2020
Submitted by: Karen Killion
Region: Texas, Leon County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 06, 2020
Observation date: Jun 01, 2020
Submitted by: katydidthat
Region: Seminole County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 05, 2020
Observation date: Apr 27, 2020
Submitted by: pegreinhart
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 28, 2020
Observation date: May 18, 2020
Submitted by: Ravyn Solis
Region: Bowie County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 24, 2020
Observation date: Jul 29, 2019
Submitted by: joannadecker
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Ken Childs
Verified date: Nov 26, 2019
Observation date: Jul 14, 2019
Submitted by: Elizabeth Wolfe
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Ken Childs
Verified date: Nov 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 27, 2019
Submitted by: Emily Hollowell
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Ken Childs
Verified date: Sep 23, 2019
Observation date: Sep 13, 2019
Submitted by: Rayd113
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 18, 2019
Observation date: Sep 13, 2019
Submitted by: curtis.lehman (Nancy Baker)
Region: Venango County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 14, 2019
Observation date: Sep 13, 2019
Submitted by: amy77351
Region: Angelina County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 13, 2019
Observation date: Sep 09, 2019
Submitted by: Dr.B
Region: Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 09, 2019
Observation date: Sep 03, 2019
Submitted by: Dora Diercks
Region: Randolph County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 05, 2019
Observation date: Jul 31, 2019
Submitted by: pmrules21
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 04, 2019
Observation date: Sep 02, 2019
Submitted by: JRDenz
Region: Oconee County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 02, 2019
Observation date: Sep 10, 2018
Submitted by: Aeenloe
Region: Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 30, 2019
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