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 217 - 240 of 2147 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 29, 2020
Submitted by: GMS2020
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 30, 2020
Observation date: Jun 16, 2020
Submitted by: cgowin
Region: Jefferson County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 30, 2020
Observation date: Jun 23, 2019
Submitted by: donker254
Region: Fall River County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 29, 2020
Observation date: Jun 28, 2020
Submitted by: jbuckett
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jun 28, 2020
Observation date: Jun 26, 2020
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 27, 2020
Observation date: Jun 26, 2020
Submitted by: Sandy8504
Region: Allen County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 27, 2020
Observation date: Jun 26, 2020
Submitted by: Kristen24060
Region: Montgomery County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2020
Observation date: Jun 25, 2020
Submitted by: Kristen24060
Region: Montgomery County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 25, 2020
Observation date: Jun 25, 2020
Submitted by: Goteambaker
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 25, 2020
Observation date: Jun 23, 2020
Submitted by: V Bass
Region: Allen County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Jun 24, 2020
Observation date: Jun 23, 2020
Submitted by: ConnieRoberts3
Region: Putnam County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 24, 2020
Observation date: Jun 23, 2020
Submitted by: relee303
Region: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 24, 2020
Observation date: Aug 11, 2019
Submitted by: Josh y’all
Region: Washington County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: BGilley
Verified date: Jun 23, 2020
Observation date: Jun 20, 2020
Submitted by: Kelly F
Region: Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 23, 2020
Observation date: Jun 16, 2020
Submitted by: Rose C Crunkleton
Region: Calvert County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 20, 2020
Observation date: Jun 11, 2018
Submitted by: tbj17
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 20, 2020
Observation date: Jun 13, 2020
Submitted by: mommajen2
Region: Kane County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 19, 2020
Observation date: Jun 18, 2020
Submitted by: gattridge
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 19, 2020
Observation date: Jun 19, 2020
Submitted by: SusanPotomac
Region: Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 19, 2020
Observation date: Jun 13, 2020
Submitted by: Kate D'Angelo
Region: Camden County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 19, 2020
Observation date: Jun 13, 2020
Submitted by: Kate D'Angelo
Region: Camden County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 19, 2020
Observation date: Jun 18, 2020
Submitted by: Liluandyou
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 18, 2020
Observation date: Jun 16, 2020
Submitted by: Hyperfig
Region: Sawyer County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jun 18, 2020
Observation date: Jun 16, 2020
Submitted by: WRoback
Region: Herkimer County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 17, 2020
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