Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Saturniinae
Identification: Body is red with a white collar and white bands on the abdomen. Wings are dark brown with white hairlike scales giving a frosted appearance; forewings are red at the base. Crescent spots and the area outside the postmedian line are red on all wings.
Wing Span: 4 5/16 - 5 7/8 inches (11 - 15 cm).
Life History: Females lay rows of 2-6 eggs on both sides of the leaves of small host trees or shrubs. Eggs hatch in 10-14 days. Young caterpillars feed in groups on leaves; older caterpillars are solitary. The cocoon is attached along its full length to a twig; to escape predation by rodents and birds, the cocoon is usually constructed in a dark, protected area.
Flight: One flight from March-July in most of the range; two flights in the Midwest, from May-early June and then 2 weeks later.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various trees and shrubs including box elder (Acer negundo), sugar maple (Acer saccharinum), wild cherries and plums (Prunus), apples (Malus), alder and birch (Betulaceae), dogwoods (Cornus), and willows (Salix).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Successional habitats in many areas including urban and suburban environments.
Range: Nova Scotia and Maine south to Florida; west across southern Canada and the eastern United States to the Rocky Mountains.
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 433 - 456 of 2147 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 26, 2017
Submitted by: cskipper
Region: Garrett County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 26, 2018
Observation date: Jun 05, 2018
Submitted by: Hypernova
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jul 22, 2018
Observation date: Jun 23, 2018
Submitted by: Barb Elliot
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 15, 2018
Observation date: Jun 21, 2018
Submitted by: Hatchman
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 13, 2018
Observation date: Jun 16, 2017
Submitted by: nch5013
Region: Jackson County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 11, 2018
Observation date: Jun 18, 2018
Submitted by: Adamada
Region: Rockcastle County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 08, 2018
Observation date: Jun 09, 2018
Submitted by: joelswan
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 08, 2018
Observation date: Jul 05, 2018
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 05, 2018
Observation date: Jul 04, 2018
Submitted by: Compton1a
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 05, 2018
Observation date: Jul 02, 2018
Submitted by: Katehagen80
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: BGilley
Verified date: Jul 02, 2018
Observation date: Jun 28, 2018
Submitted by: LVelicer
Region: Brown County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jun 29, 2018
Observation date: Jun 29, 2018
Submitted by: Tally75
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 29, 2018
Observation date: Jun 22, 2018
Submitted by: Angel27
Region: Dakota County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 29, 2018
Observation date: Jun 25, 2018
Submitted by: malangley
Region: Dakota County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 29, 2018
Observation date: Jun 26, 2018
Submitted by: quentinc
Region: Lyon County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 29, 2018
Observation date: Jun 27, 2018
Submitted by: Lorraine Diel
Region: Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 29, 2018
Observation date: Jun 22, 2018
Submitted by: Kitty329
Region: Day County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 28, 2018
Observation date: Jun 25, 2018
Submitted by: Debsprings
Region: Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 26, 2018
Observation date: Jun 14, 2018
Submitted by: Nashville
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Ken Childs
Verified date: Jun 25, 2018
Observation date: Jun 19, 2018
Submitted by: Apalbright
Region: Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 25, 2018
Observation date: Jun 23, 2018
Submitted by: Dave Herter
Region: Mercer County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 24, 2018
Observation date: Jun 23, 2018
Submitted by: julmast
Region: Elkhart County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Jun 23, 2018
Observation date: Jun 20, 2018
Submitted by: Quan Poko
Region: Montgomery County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 22, 2018
Observation date: Jun 21, 2018
Submitted by: Capjack
Region: Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 22, 2018
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