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 1393 - 1416 of 2149 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 26, 2011
Submitted by: ray880
Region: Lorain County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2011
Observation date: Jun 25, 2011
Submitted by: Miller98
Region: Montgomery County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2011
Observation date: Jun 23, 2011
Submitted by: dschoeben
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 25, 2011
Observation date: Jun 24, 2011
Submitted by: Ka1re2
Region: Hancock County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 24, 2011
Observation date: Jun 21, 2011
Submitted by: ptclausen54
Region: La Salle County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 24, 2011
Observation date: Jun 24, 2011
Submitted by: Dopps
Region: Montgomery County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 24, 2011
Observation date: Jun 21, 2011
Submitted by: debbiemagrone1
Region: McHenry County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 24, 2011
Observation date: Jun 22, 2011
Submitted by: jorabuch
Region: Clark County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 24, 2011
Observation date: Jun 20, 2011
Submitted by: Limpy
Region: Windsor County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 21, 2011
Observation date: Jun 15, 2011
Submitted by: acantrell
Region: Burlington County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 20, 2011
Observation date: Jun 19, 2011
Submitted by: millie
Region: Lawrence County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 20, 2011
Observation date: Jun 19, 2011
Submitted by: millie
Region: Lawrence County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 20, 2011
Observation date: Jun 16, 2011
Submitted by: priestlybride
Region: Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 19, 2011
Observation date: Jun 17, 2011
Submitted by: gossamerblue
Region: Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jun 18, 2011
Observation date: Jun 16, 2011
Submitted by: graytona
Region: Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 17, 2011
Observation date: Jun 08, 2011
Submitted by: abodkhe
Region: Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 16, 2011
Observation date: Jun 10, 2011
Submitted by: Ohhh_Mothra
Region: Livingston County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 16, 2011
Observation date: Jun 16, 2011
Submitted by: Colininnes
Region: Baltimore City County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 16, 2011
Observation date: Jun 11, 2011
Submitted by: Cerissa
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 16, 2011
Observation date: Jun 09, 2011
Submitted by: lbedford
Region: Niagara County, New York, United States
Verified by: H.D. McGuinness
Verified date: Jun 16, 2011
Observation date: Jun 03, 2011
Submitted by: Gail
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 15, 2011
Observation date: Jun 15, 2011
Submitted by: jmrathbun
Region: Henderson County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 15, 2011
Observation date: Jun 02, 2011
Submitted by: Staceyrh
Region: Caledonia County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: Kent McFarland
Verified date: Jun 12, 2011
Observation date: Jun 08, 2011
Submitted by: cdeweese
Region: Johnson County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Jun 11, 2011
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