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 25 - 48 of 3689 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 29, 2024
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 30, 2024
Observation date: Jul 29, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
Observation date: Jul 24, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 25, 2024
Observation date: Jul 18, 2024
Submitted by: Doug DeNeve
Region: Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 19, 2024
Observation date: Jul 09, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 09, 2024
Observation date: Jun 09, 2024
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 07, 2024
Observation date: Jun 21, 2024
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 07, 2024
Observation date: Jun 13, 2024
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 07, 2024
Observation date: Jun 29, 2024
Submitted by: Ozark_Bill
Region: Jefferson County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Ozark_Bill
Verified date: Jul 03, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: debnsync
Region: Alamance County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jun 26, 2024
Observation date: Jun 22, 2024
Submitted by: skswany
Region: Dakota County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 22, 2024
Observation date: Jun 23, 2020
Submitted by: catbirdcat
Region: Carroll County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 21, 2024
Observation date: Jun 15, 2024
Submitted by: MSEmbeck
Region: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 16, 2024
Observation date: Aug 13, 2023
Submitted by: Lavenderp
Region: St. Louis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 25, 2024
Observation date: May 24, 2024
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Observation date: May 24, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Observation date: Aug 07, 2022
Submitted by: bknupp
Region: Rockingham County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
Observation date: Jun 06, 2023
Submitted by: bknupp
Region: Rockingham County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: May 21, 2024
Submitted by: Chuck Kooshian
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Jul 01, 2020
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: May 01, 2024
Submitted by: hsmarshall
Region: Humphreys County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 18, 2024
Observation date: May 16, 2024
Submitted by: SDozzler
Region: Dallas County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 17, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: ButterBelle
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 15, 2024
Observation date: May 04, 2024
Submitted by: pkmcp
Region: Brown County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 12, 2024
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