Sweetbay silkmoth
Callosamia securifera (Maassen, 1873)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Saturniinae
Identification: Males are much darker than females. Wings are yellowish brown; cell spots are yellowish, those on hindwing are often reduced or absent in the male. Underside is without much contrast between the basal and outer portions of the wings. Summer brood is darker than the spring brood. In the extreme south, females of the spring brood are often yellowish orange.
Wing Span: 2 15/16 - 3 15/16 inches (7.5 - 10 cm).
Life History: Both sexes are active during the day, and mating takes place between 1 PM and 3 PM. Females lay eggs at dusk, in short rows on the host plant leaves. Eggs hatch in about a week, and the young caterpillars are gregarious feeders. Older caterpillars are solitary feeders, and do not eat the main vein of the leaf. Instead, they cut the leaf petiole at the base and it falls to the ground, perhaps a defensive measure eliminating visual or olfactory signs of feeding. Several leaves are used to form the cocoon, which is attached to the host plant by a silk-reinforced petiole. The cocoon hangs from the plant throughout the winter.
Flight: Two broods through most of the range from April-May and in August; three broods in Florida and southeastern Louisiana from March-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Coastal swamps and moist areas in pinewoods.
Range: Coastal areas from Virginia south to the Florida panhandle and west through Mississippi.
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 1 - 24 of 99 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 09, 2023
Submitted by: REBEL.ion
Region: Rowan County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 23, 2023
Observation date: Jun 23, 2022
Submitted by: rodkam
Region: Pearl River County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 29, 2022
Observation date: Aug 31, 2021
Submitted by: mkklose
Region: Baldwin County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 11, 2021
Observation date: May 11, 2021
Submitted by: firewoman
Region: Fayette County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 14, 2021
Observation date: May 11, 2021
Submitted by: Robinsad
Region: Autauga County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 13, 2021
Observation date: May 21, 2020
Submitted by: megrat7
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 25, 2020
Observation date: Jun 06, 2019
Submitted by: kmontana001
Region: Gulf County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 07, 2019
Observation date: Sep 17, 2018
Submitted by: jjflossem
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 10, 2018
Observation date: Jul 26, 2018
Submitted by: jlocacio
Region: Pasco County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 30, 2018
Observation date: Aug 07, 2018
Submitted by: mmiller8922
Region: Mobile County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 07, 2018
Observation date: Aug 04, 2018
Submitted by: Greg White
Region: Baldwin County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 04, 2018
Observation date: Jul 22, 2018
Submitted by: Lyzfavs
Region: Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 22, 2018
Observation date: May 07, 2018
Submitted by: dennisricherson
Region: Pender County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 08, 2018
Observation date: May 02, 2016
Submitted by: MichaelWomack
Region: Pickens County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Nov 17, 2017
Observation date: Aug 04, 2017
Submitted by: Zachsmom2013
Region: Iredell County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 04, 2017
Observation date: Jun 03, 2017
Submitted by: Kmiller300
Region: Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 04, 2017
Observation date: Aug 08, 2015
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 13, 2015
Observation date: Sep 22, 2015
Submitted by: James Hathaway
Region: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 23, 2015
Observation date: Jun 17, 2015
Submitted by: sugarbat
Region: Mecklenburg County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 04, 2015
Observation date: Jul 05, 2015
Submitted by: Masalisbury@com...
Region: Haywood County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 08, 2015
Observation date: Oct 10, 2014
Submitted by: jjflossem
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 18, 2014
Observation date: Apr 26, 2014
Submitted by: Shay Noggle
Region: Osceola County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 24, 2014
Observation date: Jun 23, 2014
Submitted by: JeanEvoy
Region: DeSoto County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 25, 2014
Observation date: May 19, 2014
Submitted by: jjflossem
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 21, 2014
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