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 505 - 528 of 2147 verified sightings
Observation date: May 25, 2016
Submitted by: Pcameron28
Region: Hendricks County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Nov 13, 2017
Observation date: May 17, 2016
Submitted by: upacreekju
Region: Texas, Lamar County, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Nov 13, 2017
Observation date: May 10, 2016
Submitted by: Souperxjade
Region: Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Nov 13, 2017
Observation date: May 01, 2017
Submitted by: Ilona L.
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Oct 26, 2017
Observation date: Mar 11, 2017
Submitted by: Chucha Barber
Region: Jefferson County, Florida, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Oct 12, 2017
Observation date: Apr 15, 2017
Submitted by: Shannonhatch98
Region: New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Oct 10, 2017
Observation date: Jun 19, 2011
Submitted by: easellers
Region: Loudoun County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 08, 2017
Observation date: Jun 28, 2016
Submitted by: apdp
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Oct 04, 2017
Observation date: Jun 24, 2011
Submitted by: ransomed
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Oct 04, 2017
Observation date: Jun 24, 2017
Submitted by: Pstaffeld
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Oct 04, 2017
Observation date: Aug 09, 2016
Submitted by: Wolffoot
Region: Brown County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 22, 2017
Observation date: Sep 04, 2017
Submitted by: Ngernes
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 18, 2017
Observation date: Sep 08, 2017
Submitted by: Mooki00
Region: Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 18, 2017
Observation date: Sep 12, 2017
Submitted by: Deb Wasnock
Region: Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 12, 2017
Observation date: Sep 11, 2017
Submitted by: Kheald
Region: Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 11, 2017
Observation date: Jun 16, 2017
Submitted by: Derrickallen82@...
Region: Delta County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 11, 2017
Observation date: May 15, 2017
Submitted by: BOGwalker
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 11, 2017
Observation date: Jun 21, 2017
Submitted by: Cschultz
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 11, 2017
Observation date: Jun 24, 2017
Submitted by: Ede1964
Region: Renville County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 11, 2017
Observation date: Jun 28, 2017
Submitted by: Ggrz
Region: Midland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 11, 2017
Observation date: Jun 29, 2017
Submitted by: fhennen
Region: Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 11, 2017
Observation date: Jun 30, 2017
Submitted by: ericherman2015
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 11, 2017
Observation date: Jun 13, 2017
Submitted by: Slugbait
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 10, 2017
Observation date: Jun 15, 1979
Submitted by: Indy Entomologist
Region: White County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Sep 06, 2017
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