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 169 - 192 of 2147 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 12, 2019
Submitted by: frank liberty
Region: New London County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 20, 2020
Observation date: Aug 28, 2019
Submitted by: Chillagirl
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 15, 2020
Observation date: May 19, 2020
Submitted by: jrs0812
Region: Claiborne County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Dec 10, 2020
Observation date: Jul 29, 2020
Submitted by: ATower
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Dec 09, 2020
Observation date: May 22, 2019
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 27, 2020
Observation date: Jun 21, 2020
Submitted by: lisagorn
Region: Otsego County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Nov 25, 2020
Observation date: May 26, 2016
Submitted by: Wade Wander
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 11, 2020
Observation date: Sep 05, 2020
Submitted by: Glasha
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 12, 2020
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: Megbird
Region: Chittenden County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: Tom Clark
Verified date: Sep 09, 2020
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Heath13
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 03, 2020
Observation date: Jun 18, 2020
Submitted by: MarkSCitsay
Region: Washington County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 03, 2020
Observation date: Jun 21, 2020
Submitted by: JShelby
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 03, 2020
Observation date: Jun 26, 2020
Submitted by: chirpus
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 03, 2020
Observation date: Jun 19, 2020
Submitted by: ktmp45
Region: Washington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: Tom Clark
Verified date: Sep 03, 2020
Observation date: Aug 19, 2018
Submitted by: alfredstokes
Region: Waldo County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 02, 2020
Observation date: Aug 11, 2020
Submitted by: pauley13
Region: Iowa, United States
Verified by: jamesdurbin
Verified date: Aug 30, 2020
Observation date: Aug 28, 2020
Submitted by: Bluefox122
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 28, 2020
Observation date: Aug 25, 2020
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 25, 2020
Observation date: Aug 04, 2020
Submitted by: KellyFregin
Region: Oswego County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Aug 23, 2020
Observation date: Aug 16, 2020
Submitted by: Tomoro
Region: Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 21, 2020
Observation date: Aug 19, 2020
Submitted by: erinhanlon
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 21, 2020
Observation date: Aug 01, 2020
Submitted by: B Shulist
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 16, 2020
Observation date: Aug 02, 2020
Submitted by: emdarragh
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 16, 2020
Observation date: Jul 30, 2020
Submitted by: emdarragh
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 16, 2020
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