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 889 - 912 of 2148 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 08, 2014
Submitted by: yawdeeps1
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 11, 2014
Observation date: Jun 11, 2014
Submitted by: sunshine-60
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 11, 2014
Observation date: Jun 10, 2014
Submitted by: dadams
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 10, 2014
Observation date: Jun 08, 2014
Submitted by: skippy900
Region: Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 10, 2014
Observation date: Jun 10, 2014
Submitted by: jm99
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 10, 2014
Observation date: Jul 09, 2013
Submitted by: EmmaCollette
Region: Otsego County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 09, 2014
Observation date: Jun 08, 2014
Submitted by: Cormsby
Region: Jackson County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 09, 2014
Observation date: Jun 06, 2014
Submitted by: mitchb3
Region: Henry County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 09, 2014
Observation date: Jun 07, 2014
Submitted by: kraymond137
Region: Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 09, 2014
Observation date: Jun 05, 2014
Submitted by: releenolan
Region: Williamson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 09, 2014
Observation date: Jun 08, 2014
Submitted by: curtis.lehman (Margaret Higbee)
Region: McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 09, 2014
Observation date: Jun 03, 2014
Submitted by: David Trently
Region: Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 05, 2014
Observation date: Jun 04, 2014
Submitted by: bobeisenman
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: Lula Field
Verified date: Jun 04, 2014
Observation date: Jun 03, 2014
Submitted by: mynclife
Region: Davie County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 03, 2014
Observation date: Jun 02, 2014
Submitted by: gudenk63
Region: Shawnee County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 02, 2014
Observation date: May 31, 2014
Submitted by: Donna Wilber
Region: Yates County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 01, 2014
Observation date: May 31, 2014
Submitted by: danita
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 01, 2014
Observation date: May 30, 2014
Submitted by: cowpoke2
Region: Tioga County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: May 31, 2014
Observation date: May 31, 2014
Submitted by: Steve Hitt
Region: Steuben County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 31, 2014
Observation date: May 30, 2014
Submitted by: bill newill
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: May 31, 2014
Observation date: May 30, 2014
Submitted by: jenfan9
Region: Greenwood County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 30, 2014
Observation date: May 25, 2014
Submitted by: Hubzell
Region: Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: May 30, 2014
Observation date: May 30, 2014
Submitted by: nbeaver317
Region: Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: May 30, 2014
Observation date: May 29, 2014
Submitted by: Skev1973
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: May 29, 2014
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