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 25 - 48 of 99 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 25, 2014
Submitted by: MaryAnn Friedman
Region: Okaloosa County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 09, 2014
Observation date: Apr 26, 2014
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Polk County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 27, 2014
Observation date: Mar 21, 2014
Submitted by: jjflossem
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 22, 2014
Observation date: Mar 03, 2014
Submitted by: RTSinsects
Region: Seminole County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 10, 2014
Observation date: May 16, 2013
Submitted by: kittykat_lp
Region: Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 17, 2013
Observation date: Oct 08, 2012
Submitted by: jjflossem
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 08, 2012
Observation date: May 21, 2009
Submitted by: Alan Harvey
Region: Bulloch County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 30, 2011
Observation date: Jun 01, 2010
Submitted by: vinstanton
Region: Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 29, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: Aug 22, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Mark Etheridge)
Region: Frederick County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner (Roger Downer)
Verified date: Mar 10, 2009
Observation date: Jan 18, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Brian G. Scholtens)
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (The Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary)
Verified date: Jul 25, 2008
Observation date: Dec 27, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jeffrey P. Crolla)
Region: Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (The Lepidopterists' Society Season Summary)
Verified date: Jul 25, 2008
Observation date: Jan 01, 1970
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Richard B. Dominick Moth and Butterfly Collection)
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Dr. F. Lance Wallace of The Citadel, Charleston SC)
Verified date: Dec 10, 2007
Observation date: Aug 05, 2007
Submitted by: jasondroberts (Jason Roberts)
Region: Paulding County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap (Mike Chapman)
Verified date: Oct 01, 2007
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Unknown)
Verified date: May 22, 2007
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Marion County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Georgia, Ware County, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Bladen County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Baldwin County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Martin County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Flagler County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Clarendon County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Orange County, Florida, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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