Cecropia silkmoth
Hyalophora cecropia (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Saturniinae
Identification: Body is red with a white collar and white bands on the abdomen. Wings are dark brown with white hairlike scales giving a frosted appearance; forewings are red at the base. Crescent spots and the area outside the postmedian line are red on all wings.
Wing Span: 4 5/16 - 5 7/8 inches (11 - 15 cm).
Life History: Females lay rows of 2-6 eggs on both sides of the leaves of small host trees or shrubs. Eggs hatch in 10-14 days. Young caterpillars feed in groups on leaves; older caterpillars are solitary. The cocoon is attached along its full length to a twig; to escape predation by rodents and birds, the cocoon is usually constructed in a dark, protected area.
Flight: One flight from March-July in most of the range; two flights in the Midwest, from May-early June and then 2 weeks later.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various trees and shrubs including box elder (Acer negundo), sugar maple (Acer saccharinum), wild cherries and plums (Prunus), apples (Malus), alder and birch (Betulaceae), dogwoods (Cornus), and willows (Salix).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Successional habitats in many areas including urban and suburban environments.
Range: Nova Scotia and Maine south to Florida; west across southern Canada and the eastern United States to the Rocky Mountains.
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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 73 - 96 of 2119 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 01, 2022
Submitted by: Rjfischer
Region: Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 02, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 30, 2022
Observation date: May 24, 2022
Submitted by: DVHSCitizenScie...
Region: Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 24, 2022
Observation date: May 21, 2022
Submitted by: Singsforhim
Region: Woodford County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 21, 2022
Observation date: Apr 21, 2022
Submitted by: jnchandler
Region: Richmond County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Apr 22, 2022
Observation date: Apr 03, 2022
Submitted by: butterflyluvr
Region: St. Johns County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 03, 2022
Observation date: Jun 04, 2016
Submitted by: madison20
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 03, 2022
Observation date: Apr 02, 2022
Submitted by: JamieLynn
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 02, 2022
Observation date: Mar 19, 2022
Submitted by: TaittheGreat
Region: Lake County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Mar 21, 2022
Observation date: Aug 22, 2019
Submitted by: Lynn Meyer
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 19, 2022
Observation date: Jun 26, 2013
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Feb 14, 2022
Observation date: Sep 23, 2019
Submitted by: Wke708
Region: St. Clair County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Sep 06, 2017
Submitted by: Kentdolmyer
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 11, 2022
Observation date: Jul 28, 2020
Submitted by: Cyrus Li
Region: Montgomery County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Jan 11, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2019
Submitted by: Stella Mott
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: Tylerf81
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 07, 2022
Observation date: Sep 16, 2020
Submitted by: JenIfer Wekwert
Region: Wexford County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jan 07, 2022
Observation date: Nov 13, 2011
Submitted by: Andrea Henley Heyn
Region: Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 01, 2021
Observation date: Sep 04, 2014
Submitted by: Satch
Region: Cattaraugus County, New York, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 26, 2021
Observation date: May 27, 2006
Submitted by: Peg Serani
Region: Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Nov 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 13, 2021
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 04, 2021
Observation date: Aug 28, 2021
Submitted by: butterflylover85
Region: Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: mdelorme
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 14, 2021
Observation date: Aug 04, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 05, 2021
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