Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis (Boisduval & Leconte, [1835])
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Apaturinae
Identification: Extremely variable geographically. Upperside is reddish brown. Forewing has 1 submarginal eyespot, a jagged row of white spots, and the cell has 1 solid black bar and 2 separate black spots.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 2 1/2 inches (3.5 - 6.3 cm).
Life History: Hackberry Butterflies fly in a fast and erratic manner, and rest upside down on tree trunks. Males perch on tall objects in sunny areas to watch for females. Eggs are laid in clusters, and the young caterpillars feed communally. Caterpillars overwinter in groups gathered inside dead rolled leaves.
Flight: Two broods from May-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various hackberries (Celtis species) and sugarberry (Celtis laevigata).
Adult Food: Sap, rotting fruit, dung, carrion. Will take moisture at wet spots along roads and streams.
Habitat: Along wooded streams, forest glades and river edges, wooded roadsides, towns.
Range: Resident in most of the eastern United States, central Plains states, and the southwest mountains; northern Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually of conservation concern.
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 73 - 96 of 3656 verified sightings
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/hackberry_emp_27jun2022.jpg?itok=fH2iPH5p)
Observation date: Jun 27, 2022
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 04, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_3844.jpeg?itok=3t4FLXep)
Observation date: May 25, 2023
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 02, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_4925.jpeg?itok=eeTJg4HU)
Observation date: May 26, 2023
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 02, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/painted_lady_14aug2021.jpg?itok=PQMNgo9Y)
Observation date: Aug 14, 2021
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 01, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/4_hackberry_emps_25jul2022_.jpg?itok=a2Otbk7U)
Observation date: Jul 25, 2022
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 01, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/hackberry_emporer_24may2023.jpg?itok=Pjfl8pgL)
Observation date: May 24, 2023
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 01, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc_4176-2.jpg?itok=jjcduBDr)
Observation date: May 22, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Putnam County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 22, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230510_102544.jpg?itok=CZ_oUgwS)
Observation date: May 10, 2023
Submitted by: Bequesthero
Region: Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: May 15, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20230509_095854.jpg?itok=wus4d4-n)
Observation date: May 09, 2023
Submitted by: lilkriskattn
Region: Texas, Montague County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_4587_3.jpg?itok=osoE0dmQ)
Observation date: Apr 16, 2023
Submitted by: KD5NRH
Region: Erath County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 30, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/29a91931-1d2a-4109-ba57-df933dbc5037.jpeg?itok=HyE6ONLv)
Observation date: Apr 21, 2023
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 28, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_8458_1.jpg?itok=e5IWQpj4)
Observation date: Apr 22, 2023
Submitted by: mikeminium
Region: Hopkins County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 28, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_8435_0.jpg?itok=4VfJMbd_)
Observation date: Apr 20, 2023
Submitted by: mikeminium
Region: Hopkins County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 20, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/c05e6b4e-cf97-45fb-b4da-da1dccf92f32.jpeg?itok=L0NGVHKQ)
Observation date: Apr 19, 2023
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 20, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/d3b1c8d3-7dde-4aa0-a97e-775b2093703d.jpeg?itok=QxU0qh7m)
Observation date: Apr 18, 2023
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 20, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/3fe3d42d-a120-4422-9d40-25d17fcb993b.jpeg?itok=kpQAt4pq)
Observation date: Apr 18, 2023
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 20, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/c6bbbc15-a527-4950-a4ca-80c5f251b03d.jpeg?itok=m66cK2d_)
Observation date: Apr 15, 2023
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/efdb09cd-9628-4e56-a3f0-8cce9441f5da.jpeg?itok=zRv9bWR5)
Observation date: Aug 23, 2016
Submitted by: greenesnake@yah...
Region: Gibson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Mar 09, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/asterocampa_celtis_1_1.jpeg?itok=gLkXgBlI)
Observation date: Jul 07, 2022
Submitted by: alaimins
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 20, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/asterocampa_celtis_1_0.jpeg?itok=VfJTGr-i)
Observation date: Jun 24, 2022
Submitted by: alaimins
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 20, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/asterocampa_celtis_1.jpeg?itok=f6bUtpQk)
Observation date: Jun 17, 2022
Submitted by: alaimins
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 20, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/asterocampa_celtis_34.jpg?itok=fS8rBttM)
Observation date: Jun 16, 2020
Submitted by: alaimins
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jan 20, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p9010032-hackberry_emperor.jpg?itok=PlWF8v0O)
Observation date: Sep 01, 2021
Submitted by: Brynne Bryan
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 18, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/hackberry_emperor_-_hodges4557_asterocampa_celtis_rocky_arroyo_chaves_county_new_mexico_06-23-2019._a28a7184_-1-edit.jpg?itok=QsLMaH14)
Observation date: Jun 23, 2019
Submitted by: Robert C. Turner
Region: Chaves County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 16, 2023
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