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 169 - 192 of 351 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 17, 2012
Submitted by: robpring
Region: Rockbridge County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Oct 19, 2012
Observation date: May 05, 2012
Submitted by: Dana is wild 4 ...
Region: Lee County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Oct 11, 2012
Observation date: Apr 15, 2012
Submitted by: bmmann89
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Oct 10, 2012
Observation date: Mar 20, 2012
Submitted by: devellison
Region: Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Oct 10, 2012
Observation date: Jun 04, 2012
Submitted by: Peggy Gilliland
Region: Mississippi, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Oct 10, 2012
Observation date: Sep 29, 2012
Submitted by: curtis.lehman
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 30, 2012
Observation date: Jun 17, 2012
Submitted by: CBASLE
Region: Fauquier County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 19, 2012
Observation date: Apr 08, 2009
Submitted by: wax32
Region: Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Sep 17, 2012
Observation date: Jun 05, 2012
Submitted by: Elizabeth Wolfe
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Don Tangren
Verified date: Aug 18, 2012
Observation date: May 22, 2012
Submitted by: mikeakresh
Region: Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 02, 2012
Observation date: May 19, 2012
Submitted by: James_Shelton32
Region: Northampton County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 08, 2012
Observation date: Jun 02, 2012
Submitted by: katrina oakes
Region: Halifax County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 07, 2012
Observation date: Nov 22, 2011
Submitted by: Skyler
Region: Cleveland County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: lorispencer
Verified date: Jun 30, 2012
Observation date: Jun 02, 2012
Submitted by: higsonhs
Region: Bedford County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 04, 2012
Observation date: May 25, 2012
Submitted by: yelpurr
Region: Grant County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 27, 2012
Observation date: May 07, 2012
Submitted by: Sprice110
Region: Texas, Marion County, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: May 23, 2012
Observation date: Apr 17, 2012
Submitted by: ken knr
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 10, 2012
Observation date: May 06, 2012
Submitted by: Otalan
Region: Prince William County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 08, 2012
Observation date: Apr 20, 2012
Submitted by: sumkoolskool
Region: Clay County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 22, 2012
Observation date: Nov 01, 2011
Submitted by: Kayleigh740
Region: Vinton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 11, 2012
Observation date: Dec 03, 2011
Submitted by: MSBoutte
Region: Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: rickypatterson
Verified date: Dec 17, 2011
Observation date: Oct 13, 2011
Submitted by: k2chris1983
Region: Virginia, Warren County, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 16, 2011
Observation date: May 29, 2011
Submitted by: Megan_Michelle_...
Region: Jefferson County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: jasondroberts
Verified date: Aug 21, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Leroy Simon)
Region: United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Aug 11, 2011
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