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 193 - 216 of 1076 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 16, 2019
Submitted by: ashores
Region: Augusta County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 17, 2019
Observation date: Jul 11, 2019
Submitted by: pattinavarro
Region: Cherokee County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 15, 2019
Observation date: Jul 13, 2019
Submitted by: Randy18
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 13, 2019
Observation date: Jul 04, 2019
Submitted by: MarlaK
Region: Marshall County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jul 12, 2019
Observation date: Jul 09, 2019
Submitted by: SarahR53
Region: Henrico County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 11, 2019
Observation date: Jul 05, 2019
Submitted by: agdsquash
Region: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 06, 2019
Observation date: Jul 01, 2019
Submitted by: jennyjo70
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 02, 2019
Observation date: Jun 28, 2019
Submitted by: Nanotec
Region: Orange County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 28, 2019
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: SusanPotomac
Region: Orange County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 28, 2019
Observation date: Jun 25, 2019
Submitted by: dennismagan
Region: Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 27, 2019
Observation date: Jun 20, 2019
Submitted by: ebriggs
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 21, 2019
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Toinette70
Region: Charles County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 12, 2019
Observation date: May 12, 2019
Submitted by: nancyjones
Region: Alachua County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 18, 2019
Observation date: Jul 11, 2018
Submitted by: sam_hartzler
Region: Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 11, 2019
Observation date: May 10, 2019
Submitted by: boiledpeanuts
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 10, 2019
Observation date: Jul 19, 2017
Submitted by: Ryan84
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 13, 2019
Observation date: Sep 04, 2016
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 11, 2019
Observation date: Jul 29, 2018
Submitted by: Christy Kucera
Region: Gilchrist County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 12, 2018
Observation date: Jul 16, 2014
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 09, 2018
Observation date: Sep 14, 2018
Submitted by: abearden098
Region: Marshall County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 02, 2018
Observation date: Aug 02, 2018
Submitted by: magnolyah
Region: Georgia, Towns County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 22, 2018
Observation date: Jul 30, 2018
Submitted by: theyoungs
Region: Hall County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 22, 2018
Observation date: Sep 09, 2018
Submitted by: Elizabeth Wolfe
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Sep 13, 2018
Observation date: Sep 07, 2018
Submitted by: Sam Ritter
Region: Alachua County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 07, 2018
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