National Moth Week is July 18-26!
Moths are amazing creatures. Take photographs and share your moth sightings with us to document the moths where you live.
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.
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 577 - 600 of 2148 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 08, 2017
Submitted by: JohnRoosenberg
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 13, 2017
Observation date: Jun 10, 2017
Submitted by: Caustin@ppi.ca
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 12, 2017
Observation date: Jun 08, 2017
Submitted by: debbiefarr1
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 09, 2017
Observation date: May 28, 2017
Submitted by: Janulewicz
Region: Valley County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 08, 2017
Observation date: Jun 03, 2017
Submitted by: Cathy Christensen
Region: Trousdale County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 08, 2017
Observation date: May 05, 2017
Submitted by: ratplant
Region: Monroe County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 05, 2017
Observation date: May 30, 2017
Submitted by: Barto2me
Region: Tuscola County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 05, 2017
Observation date: Jun 03, 2017
Submitted by: bsawma
Region: Niagara County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 05, 2017
Observation date: Jun 03, 2017
Submitted by: Adkny1957
Region: Kings County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 03, 2017
Observation date: May 31, 2017
Submitted by: Unipenguin
Region: Jefferson County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 02, 2017
Observation date: Jun 01, 2017
Submitted by: amybreski
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 02, 2017
Observation date: May 27, 2017
Submitted by: Latenight
Region: Cameron County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 02, 2017
Observation date: May 29, 2017
Submitted by: ajh1958
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: May 29, 2017
Observation date: May 27, 2017
Submitted by: y2kasmira
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: May 29, 2017
Observation date: May 29, 2017
Submitted by: Rockyhomestead
Region: Stokes County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 29, 2017
Observation date: Feb 28, 2017
Submitted by: JAKeverline
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 24, 2017
Observation date: May 23, 2017
Submitted by: jessicak
Region: Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 23, 2017
Observation date: May 04, 2016
Submitted by: garyp
Region: Cheatham County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: May 22, 2017
Observation date: Mar 16, 2016
Submitted by: Alamoaquaman
Region: Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: May 22, 2017
Observation date: May 17, 2017
Submitted by: Amandacanton
Region: Cherokee County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: May 22, 2017
Observation date: May 18, 2017
Submitted by: sbrabaw
Region: Wayne County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: May 19, 2017
Observation date: May 17, 2017
Submitted by: David Jones
Region: Wagoner County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 19, 2017
Observation date: Apr 30, 2017
Submitted by: vicki.plath
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 01, 2017
Observation date: Apr 29, 2017
Submitted by: Cyn
Region: Haywood County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 29, 2017
- ‹ previous
- 25 of 90
- next ›