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 121 - 144 of 3657 verified sightings
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Observation date: Sep 09, 2022
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Fentress County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Sep 10, 2022
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Observation date: Sep 04, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1000566_0.jpg?itok=ee2oYdGW)
Observation date: Sep 04, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
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Observation date: Sep 05, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
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Observation date: Sep 05, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
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Observation date: Sep 05, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 06, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 24, 2022
Submitted by: Jdlmschlatter
Region: Bedford County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 02, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: Roose
Region: Saginaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 29, 2022
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/ridge2022summer-4168.jpg?itok=cGbCGUtj)
Observation date: Aug 29, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 22, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 29, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 26, 2022
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 29, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 18, 2022
Submitted by: HansPG
Region: Cook County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 28, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 27, 2022
Submitted by: Mebanite
Region: Orange County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 28, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 26, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_m5a5990.jpg?itok=oPbuGdx-)
Observation date: Aug 25, 2022
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Montgomery County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 07, 2019
Submitted by: Jennie Lanzendorf
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 25, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/asterocampa_celtis_3.jpg?itok=LBgHODKN)
Observation date: Aug 14, 2022
Submitted by: Anna_holmes
Region: Madison County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 23, 2022
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Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 21, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 09, 2022
Submitted by: Dennis Blanton
Region: Staunton, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Aug 14, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/usa_-_hackberry_emperor_asterocampa_celtis.jpg?itok=H2etdLsI)
Observation date: Aug 04, 2022
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Colbert County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
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Observation date: Aug 11, 2022
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 11, 2022
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