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 169 - 192 of 1076 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 17, 2019
Submitted by: roydulovich1966
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 30, 2019
Observation date: Sep 03, 2018
Submitted by: CalhounClanof7
Region: Dent County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 29, 2019
Observation date: Aug 27, 2019
Submitted by: LisaD
Region: Warren County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 27, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: Debarace
Region: Texas, Wood County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 24, 2019
Observation date: Jul 26, 2019
Submitted by: pmrules21
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 17, 2019
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 17, 2019
Observation date: Aug 14, 2014
Submitted by: talmendinger
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 13, 2019
Observation date: Aug 04, 2019
Submitted by: JoanieG
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 10, 2019
Observation date: Jul 27, 2019
Submitted by: rseidler
Region: Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 07, 2019
Observation date: Aug 03, 2019
Submitted by: Mandikay510
Region: Holmes County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 04, 2019
Observation date: Aug 03, 2019
Submitted by: pinewaves
Region: Iredell County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 03, 2019
Observation date: Jul 26, 2019
Submitted by: egh423
Region: Virginia, Warren County, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 28, 2019
Observation date: Jul 28, 2019
Submitted by: jrgarris.sr
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 28, 2019
Observation date: Jul 27, 2019
Submitted by: Jlutmerding
Region: Calvert County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 27, 2019
Observation date: Jul 27, 2019
Submitted by: heitzscapes
Region: Clinton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 27, 2019
Observation date: Jul 26, 2019
Submitted by: deithediva
Region: Jefferson County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 26, 2019
Observation date: Jul 25, 2019
Submitted by: scottj4hops
Region: Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2019
Observation date: Jul 22, 2019
Submitted by: dornblaster
Region: Roanoke County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 23, 2019
Observation date: Jul 23, 2019
Submitted by: gbock
Region: Mahoning County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 23, 2019
Observation date: Jul 22, 2019
Submitted by: maryellis1
Region: Forsyth County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 23, 2019
Observation date: Jul 20, 2019
Submitted by: SJAlbaugh75
Region: Knox County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 21, 2019
Observation date: Jul 18, 2019
Submitted by: scrapbookquilt
Region: Paulding County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 19, 2019
Observation date: Jun 05, 2019
Submitted by: Cupcupcak
Region: Fulton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 18, 2019
Observation date: Jul 18, 2019
Submitted by: Tine
Region: Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 18, 2019
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