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 193 - 216 of 351 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 07, 2011
Submitted by: Cheryl Jennings
Region: Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 10, 2011
Observation date: Jun 22, 2011
Submitted by: Shelby24019
Region: Botetourt County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 17, 2011
Observation date: Jun 25, 2011
Submitted by: Glad
Region: Stokes County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 17, 2011
Observation date: Jun 29, 2011
Submitted by: Otalan
Region: Prince William County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 14, 2011
Observation date: Jun 05, 2011
Submitted by: TheNatureInUs.com
Region: Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 08, 2011
Observation date: Jun 02, 2011
Submitted by: niseygarnett@gm...
Region: Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 08, 2011
Observation date: May 28, 2011
Submitted by: Alan Harvey
Region: Dade County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 20, 2011
Observation date: Nov 09, 2006
Submitted by: rdhealy1951@aol.com
Region: Hart County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 22, 2011
Observation date: Jun 04, 2010
Submitted by: Nancy Weiss
Region: Albemarle County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 22, 2011
Observation date: Oct 23, 2010
Submitted by: birdofparadise
Region: Carroll County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 10, 2011
Observation date: May 12, 2006
Submitted by: Gary L. Spicer
Region: Hardin County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Feb 02, 2011
Observation date: May 27, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Shawn Wright)
Region: Jackson County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner (Roger Downer)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Oct 02, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Union County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman (Curt Lehman)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Oct 02, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Union County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman (Curt Lehman)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: Howell_Curtis (Howell Curtis)
Region: Harrison County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Region: United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Leroy Simon)
Region: United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: Howell_Curtis (Howell Curtis)
Region: Harrison County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: Nov 08, 2009
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Andrew G. Carlberg)
Region: Pittsylvania County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner (Roger Downer)
Verified date: Aug 03, 2010
Observation date: Dec 09, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Daniel J. Drennen)
Region: Hinds County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: rickypatterson (Ricky Patterson)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
Observation date: Oct 15, 2008
Submitted by: Howell_Curtis (Howell Curtis)
Region: Harrison County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: davidwright (David Wright)
Verified date: Mar 23, 2009
Observation date: Dec 15, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Elizabeth Wiggins)
Region: Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: lorispencer (Lori Spencer)
Verified date: Mar 13, 2009
Observation date: Dec 15, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Elizabeth Wiggins)
Region: Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: lorispencer (Lori Spencer)
Verified date: Mar 13, 2009
Observation date: Nov 05, 1961
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heitzman, J. Richard)
Region: Benton County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Phillip Koenig; Heitzman, J.R.)
Verified date: Mar 05, 2009
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