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 1177 - 1200 of 2148 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 13, 2011
Submitted by: nspringer
Region: Burlington County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: H.D. McGuinness
Verified date: Jun 17, 2012
Observation date: Jun 13, 2012
Submitted by: deanasaccount@y...
Region: Warren County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 16, 2012
Observation date: Jun 14, 2012
Submitted by: Satans.the.Man
Region: La Salle County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 16, 2012
Observation date: Jun 16, 2012
Submitted by: Moiambrose
Region: Ottawa County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 16, 2012
Observation date: Jun 14, 2012
Submitted by: Dale Bonfigt
Region: Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 15, 2012
Observation date: Jun 06, 2012
Submitted by: Carl Coburn
Region: Greenup County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 15, 2012
Observation date: Jun 08, 2012
Submitted by: ianmoconnor
Region: Bullitt County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 15, 2012
Observation date: Jun 15, 2012
Submitted by: sbugaroo0426
Region: Ontario County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 15, 2012
Observation date: Jun 13, 2012
Submitted by: apoidea
Region: Stearns County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 14, 2012
Observation date: Jun 07, 2012
Submitted by: cjb_willard
Region: Greene County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Phillip E. Koenig
Verified date: Jun 14, 2012
Observation date: May 13, 2012
Submitted by: JLF1985
Region: Bourbon County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: May 29, 2012
Submitted by: Btwisted43
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: May 24, 2012
Submitted by: brandash08
Region: Niagara County, New York, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: May 28, 2012
Submitted by: anthony19941994
Region: Orange County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: May 30, 2012
Submitted by: etasse
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: May 25, 2012
Submitted by: abdenton
Region: Chittenden County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: Jun 06, 2012
Submitted by: Casey thomas
Region: Lancaster County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: May 16, 2012
Submitted by: tocomplicated
Region: Sarpy County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: May 28, 2012
Submitted by: rjbees
Region: Orange County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: Jun 05, 2012
Submitted by: YecatsErin
Region: Kenton County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: Jun 11, 2012
Submitted by: jesheph1
Region: Putnam County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: nathanbrockman
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: May 03, 2012
Submitted by: Sphyrnidae
Region: Douglas County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 13, 2012
Observation date: May 13, 2012
Submitted by: Dante
Region: Yell County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 12, 2012
Observation date: Jun 04, 2012
Submitted by: Mary Cary Crawford
Region: Delta County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 12, 2012
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