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 817 - 840 of 2148 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 23, 2014
Submitted by: Christine Steve...
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 16, 2014
Observation date: Jun 07, 2014
Submitted by: BunnRee
Region: Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Aug 16, 2014
Observation date: Jun 29, 2014
Submitted by: luckijean
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 09, 2014
Observation date: Jul 28, 2014
Submitted by: Kari A
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 31, 2014
Observation date: Jul 20, 2013
Submitted by: Greer87
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 31, 2014
Observation date: Jul 22, 2014
Submitted by: shererman
Region: Montgomery County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 25, 2014
Observation date: Jun 19, 2014
Submitted by: Collopya
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 23, 2014
Observation date: Jul 19, 2014
Submitted by: billkil
Region: Lake County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 21, 2014
Observation date: Jul 20, 2014
Submitted by: Cherylee Black
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 21, 2014
Observation date: Jun 24, 2014
Submitted by: Liamaor
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: Jim Edsall
Verified date: Jul 17, 2014
Observation date: Jun 29, 2014
Submitted by: Jan Carol
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: Jim Edsall
Verified date: Jul 17, 2014
Observation date: Jul 01, 2014
Submitted by: MoCaIsMama
Region: Delaware County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Jul 15, 2014
Observation date: Jul 14, 2014
Submitted by: macclewis
Region: Pittsylvania County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 14, 2014
Observation date: Jun 27, 2014
Submitted by: Charlie5
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 12, 2014
Observation date: Jul 10, 2014
Submitted by: JerKrisDun
Region: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 10, 2014
Observation date: Jul 09, 2014
Submitted by: kroharper
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 09, 2014
Observation date: Jul 08, 2014
Submitted by: c_lenser
Region: Hancock County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 09, 2014
Observation date: Jul 06, 2014
Submitted by: birdmouse
Region: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 09, 2014
Observation date: Jul 03, 2014
Submitted by: suekh
Region: Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 05, 2014
Observation date: Jun 04, 2014
Submitted by: PiousSlayer
Region: Cayuga County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 03, 2014
Observation date: Jun 07, 2014
Submitted by: Judy Moon
Region: Columbia County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 03, 2014
Observation date: Jun 04, 2014
Submitted by: Ahudson110
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 03, 2014
Observation date: Aug 19, 2009
Submitted by: schmidts128@hot...
Region: Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jul 02, 2014
Observation date: Jun 11, 2014
Submitted by: brywilder
Region: Washington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 01, 2014
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