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 985 - 1008 of 2148 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 01, 2013
Submitted by: Jeannette.Fenton
Region: Dunn County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jul 01, 2013
Observation date: Jun 29, 2013
Submitted by: MandyG
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 30, 2013
Observation date: Jun 29, 2013
Submitted by: Blackhawk
Region: Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 30, 2013
Observation date: Jun 29, 2013
Submitted by: horselvr1215
Region: Muskingum County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 29, 2013
Observation date: Jun 26, 2013
Submitted by: macdjoe
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 28, 2013
Observation date: Jun 27, 2013
Submitted by: FarmerDoe
Region: Le Sueur County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 28, 2013
Observation date: Jun 26, 2013
Submitted by: halofan
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 27, 2013
Observation date: Jun 27, 2013
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Newaygo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 27, 2013
Observation date: Jun 26, 2013
Submitted by: lrnichols
Region: Tyler County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 26, 2013
Observation date: Jun 26, 2013
Submitted by: Natures Wonders
Region: Hancock County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2013
Observation date: Jun 25, 2013
Submitted by: Sandygmoore
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 25, 2013
Observation date: Jun 22, 2013
Submitted by: davevt4586
Region: Washington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 23, 2013
Observation date: Jun 21, 2013
Submitted by: Sophie-Michèle
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 23, 2013
Observation date: Jun 19, 2013
Submitted by: Stefenie
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 23, 2013
Observation date: Jun 23, 2013
Submitted by: Jenmack
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 23, 2013
Observation date: Jun 22, 2013
Submitted by: PRSITES
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 22, 2013
Observation date: Jun 18, 2013
Submitted by: charlie hanneken
Region: Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig
Verified date: Jun 21, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: crea
Region: Anoka County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 21, 2013
Observation date: Jun 21, 2013
Submitted by: Skcurrier
Region: Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jun 21, 2013
Observation date: Jun 20, 2013
Submitted by: CandidChameleon
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 21, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: cbobcat49
Region: Cattaraugus County, New York, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jun 17, 2013
Observation date: Jun 16, 2013
Submitted by: kardaniw
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: Jim Edsall
Verified date: Jun 17, 2013
Observation date: Jun 16, 2013
Submitted by: lascelles
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 17, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: Apis Amat
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 16, 2013
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