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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 793 - 816 of 2148 verified sightings
Observation date: May 11, 2015
Submitted by: Gilsons
Region: Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 11, 2015
Observation date: May 08, 2015
Submitted by: gray1245
Region: Roanoke, Virginia, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: May 09, 2015
Observation date: Apr 26, 2015
Submitted by: cmagee7
Region: Bibb County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Apr 26, 2015
Observation date: Apr 24, 2015
Submitted by: Anne Small
Region: Livingston Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Apr 25, 2015
Observation date: Apr 21, 2015
Submitted by: jonnamdavis
Region: Texas, Matagorda County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 21, 2015
Observation date: Apr 15, 2015
Submitted by: ladiebug98
Region: Pender County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Apr 15, 2015
Observation date: Aug 24, 2014
Submitted by: karen54
Region: Berrien County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: bradensing
Verified date: Apr 12, 2015
Observation date: Aug 22, 2014
Submitted by: jdorman01
Region: Kent County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: bradensing
Verified date: Apr 12, 2015
Observation date: Sep 22, 2014
Submitted by: 2430 Flutter
Region: Allen County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Apr 07, 2015
Observation date: Jun 22, 2014
Submitted by: ellenjones6
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: reutere
Verified date: Mar 27, 2015
Observation date: Jun 19, 2014
Submitted by: reutere
Region: Delaware County, New York, United States
Verified by: reutere
Verified date: Feb 03, 2015
Observation date: Feb 01, 2015
Submitted by: Ariel21ac
Region: Steuben County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Feb 02, 2015
Observation date: Jun 02, 2014
Submitted by: reutere
Region: Delaware County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jan 23, 2015
Observation date: Jun 01, 2014
Submitted by: Sue Gregoire
Region: Schuyler County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Dec 07, 2014
Observation date: Aug 03, 2014
Submitted by: mclea
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Dec 06, 2014
Observation date: Sep 22, 2014
Submitted by: leafgirl13
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 22, 2014
Observation date: Aug 31, 2014
Submitted by: jmadetzke
Region: Anoka County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 14, 2014
Observation date: Sep 11, 2014
Submitted by: Bren2135
Region: Stark County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 13, 2014
Observation date: Aug 27, 2014
Submitted by: chris.spiewak
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 05, 2014
Observation date: Aug 28, 2014
Submitted by: hbgoodall
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 28, 2014
Observation date: Aug 23, 2014
Submitted by: joannhall
Region: Windham County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Aug 28, 2014
Observation date: Jun 07, 2011
Submitted by: franpope
Region: Garrett County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Aug 27, 2014
Observation date: Aug 11, 2014
Submitted by: cherylgurnsey@b...
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 24, 2014
Observation date: Jun 01, 2014
Submitted by: Alicat27
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 19, 2014
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