Io moth
Automeris io (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Hemileucinae
Identification: Upperside occasionally males from the spring brood will be mostly brown. Female forewings are brown or brownish purple to red and the bands and eyespots may or may not be apparent. Hindwings of both sexes are yellow to brownish orange with yellow or orange margins. Each hindwing has a large black and blue eyespot with a white dash in the middle.
Wing Span: 2 - 3 1/8 inches (5 - 8 cm).
Life History: Adults emerge during late morning or early afternoon, and mating takes place in the late evening. Females lay clumps of eggs on leaves or stems of the host plants. Young caterpillars feed together as a group and move in long "trains" while older caterpillars feed alone. Papery cocoons are spun in litter under the host plant or in crevices.
Flight: One brood in the north from May-June, two to three broods in the south from February-September, several broods throughout the year in the Florida Keys.
Caterpillar Hosts: A variety of plants including hackberry (Celtis), willow (Salix), mesquite (Prosopis), redbud (Cercis), currant (Ribes), blackberry (Rubus), and pear (Pyrus).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous forests, thorn scrub, and suburban areas.
Range: Maine west across southern Canada to southeastern Manitoba, the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Colorado; south to the Florida Keys, the Gulf states, Texas, and New Mexico; Mexico south to Costa Rico.
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.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 1428 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 14, 2023
Submitted by: Fish
Region: Anderson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 14, 2023
Observation date: Jul 05, 2018
Submitted by: Emily Newman
Region: Carter County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: Jun 05, 2023
Submitted by: hvarle
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 05, 2023
Observation date: Jun 03, 2023
Submitted by: ActiasLunaTn
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 03, 2023
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: Mark Wheeler
Region: Washington County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Jun 02, 2023
Observation date: May 31, 2023
Submitted by: rmery
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 01, 2023
Observation date: May 25, 2023
Submitted by: Mikelchap
Region: Glynn County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 27, 2023
Observation date: May 09, 2023
Submitted by: bgreno
Region: Cherokee County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 25, 2023
Observation date: Aug 06, 2022
Submitted by: greenesnake@yah...
Region: Gibson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 17, 2016
Submitted by: Donnagn
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Jun 09, 2016
Submitted by: mariawilliamson2014
Region: United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 28, 2023
Observation date: Dec 18, 2022
Submitted by: lantanagal
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 19, 2022
Observation date: Dec 05, 2022
Submitted by: DorianStephens
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 06, 2022
Observation date: Dec 05, 2002
Submitted by: DorianStephens
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 06, 2022
Observation date: Dec 05, 2022
Submitted by: DorianStephens
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 06, 2022
Observation date: Mar 30, 2022
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Collier County, Florida, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 03, 2022
Observation date: Dec 02, 2022
Submitted by: lantanagal
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Dec 02, 2022
Observation date: Nov 14, 2022
Submitted by: meleposky
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 14, 2022
Observation date: May 10, 2008
Submitted by: L.Hale
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 08, 2022
Observation date: Oct 29, 2022
Submitted by: therapypetz
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 29, 2022
Observation date: Sep 08, 2022
Submitted by: aturney
Region: Texas, Polk County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 22, 2022
Observation date: Aug 17, 2022
Submitted by: Hira Walker
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 19, 2022
Observation date: Jun 09, 2019
Submitted by: pomona17
Region: Howell County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: jamesdurbin
Verified date: Sep 17, 2022
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