Eastern buckmoth
Hemileuca maia (Drury, 1773)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Hemileucinae
Identification: Females are larger than males. Male abdomen is black with a red tip, female abdomen is black. Upperside is black with an off-white median band and a small eyespot on each wing.
Wing Span: 2 - 3 inches (5 - 7.5 cm).
Life History: Adults emerge in the morning and mating takes place in early afternoon. In the late afternoon, females lay groups of eggs in rings around twigs of the host. The eggs overwinter, and when they hatch the next spring the young caterpillars feed in groups. Caterpillars wander about and make their cocoons in leaf litter on the ground or a few inches underground in soft soil.
Flight: One brood from September-December.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various oaks including scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia), live oak (Q. virginiana), blackjack oak (Q. marilandica), and dwarf chestnut oak (Q. prinoides).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Scrub oak-pine sand barrens, oak woods, and oak trees in cities.
Range: Maine west to eastern Kansas; south to northern Florida, the Gulf states, and eastern 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 145 - 168 of 351 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: jaykub83
Region: Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 20, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: vicsands
Region: Roane County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 18, 2013
Observation date: Jun 14, 2013
Submitted by: cobal2913
Region: Athens County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 15, 2013
Observation date: May 25, 2013
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 27, 2013
Observation date: May 15, 2013
Submitted by: Ladec
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 19, 2013
Observation date: May 14, 2013
Submitted by: clayrun
Region: Ascension Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 16, 2013
Observation date: Apr 18, 2013
Submitted by: candipanda9870
Region: Ellis County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 23, 2013
Observation date: Apr 21, 2013
Submitted by: TexasLady75
Region: Texas, Sabine County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 22, 2013
Observation date: Apr 22, 2013
Submitted by: Amber977
Region: Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 22, 2013
Observation date: Jul 31, 2003
Submitted by: sidzoe
Region: Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 20, 2013
Observation date: Jan 21, 2013
Submitted by: Dale Halbritter
Region: Marion County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 08, 2013
Observation date: Nov 03, 2012
Submitted by: bhough
Region: Surry County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 18, 2013
Observation date: Dec 15, 2012
Submitted by: Kreg Ellzey
Region: East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: rickypatterson
Verified date: Dec 26, 2012
Observation date: Apr 11, 2012
Submitted by: aharcrow
Region: Madison County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Don Tangren
Verified date: Dec 25, 2012
Observation date: Jun 26, 2010
Submitted by: Rangertsp
Region: Grundy County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Don Tangren
Verified date: Dec 25, 2012
Observation date: Apr 09, 2012
Submitted by: krickette
Region: Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Dec 10, 2012
Observation date: Dec 01, 2012
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: rickypatterson
Verified date: Dec 07, 2012
Observation date: Nov 17, 2012
Submitted by: lenb_99
Region: Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 19, 2012
Observation date: Mar 20, 2012
Submitted by: devellison
Region: Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 13, 2012
Observation date: Nov 12, 2012
Submitted by: Leroy K
Region: Charlotte County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 12, 2012
Observation date: Nov 10, 2012
Submitted by: alixevans
Region: Prince Georges County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 11, 2012
Observation date: Nov 08, 2012
Submitted by: Chris561
Region: Albemarle County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 09, 2012
Observation date: May 18, 2012
Submitted by: mordain
Region: Calhoun County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 05, 2012
Observation date: Oct 20, 2012
Submitted by: John Ford
Region: Montgomery County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 23, 2012
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