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 97 - 120 of 2111 verified sightings
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Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: girtzl2003
Region: Houghton County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
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Observation date: Jun 08, 2021
Submitted by: jgapinski
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20210605_181311.jpg?itok=njk7foBt)
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: shawn59102
Region: Yellowstone County, Montana, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
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Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: tirvine2020
Region: Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 08, 2021
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Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: Sj2squared
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Jun 06, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/000ccf8e-d658-4c66-a1ea-37b0114f7821.jpeg?itok=L0AoBLS5)
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: mklaymon8
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/cecropia94217m2.jpg?itok=Ih8ZlMHN)
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: Colin Gillette
Region: Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
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Observation date: Jun 03, 2021
Submitted by: JMJaskula
Region: Boone County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 03, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/pxl_20210603_141935986.jpg?itok=JawQp4bV)
Observation date: Jun 03, 2021
Submitted by: ngiles0296
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 03, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/filefield_paths/fd83afc7-cafb-4280-bd39-09c7fe8ec9a8.jpeg?itok=8t5AOLRV)
Observation date: May 31, 2021
Submitted by: Kaylalark96
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 02, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn2188_0.jpg?itok=rSOTrRSq)
Observation date: May 26, 2021
Submitted by: wmmary67
Region: Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 27, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20200429_104031.jpg?itok=d9dXcHZ9)
Observation date: Apr 29, 2020
Submitted by: Chris Segatti
Region: Madison County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: jasondroberts
Verified date: May 25, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/moth_1229.jpg?itok=n3rG5P1U)
Observation date: May 20, 2021
Submitted by: leewilla
Region: Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 22, 2021
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Observation date: May 17, 2021
Submitted by: Karissal
Region: Campbell County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 17, 2021
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Observation date: May 16, 2021
Submitted by: thrashmedia
Region: Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 17, 2021
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Observation date: May 02, 2021
Submitted by: CifaxTim
Region: Bedford County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 02, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/moth_open_wings_0.jpg?itok=SwRtb2A8)
Observation date: Apr 28, 2021
Submitted by: Kevin_SD_Moths
Region: Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
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Observation date: Apr 17, 2021
Submitted by: eroberthom
Region: Charleston County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 24, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/b3t3r2s5_mothscrpbrt.jpg?itok=ZQu22pw1)
Observation date: May 27, 1979
Submitted by: rengeman
Region: Uintah County, Utah, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Apr 19, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20210417_090742.jpg?itok=boLcnI0U)
Observation date: Apr 17, 2021
Submitted by: sarabay
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 17, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/cecropia_13.jpg?itok=d8DXnCy3)
Observation date: Mar 30, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Van Otteren
Region: Glynn County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Mar 31, 2021
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Observation date: Jun 24, 2019
Submitted by: devjohnstone
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 23, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2829_2.jpg?itok=o5oMP-Dl)
Observation date: May 25, 2020
Submitted by: Karimari
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 23, 2021
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/0a0681ad-65d2-4b6f-888a-15ec8fa66ba8.jpeg?itok=Esq2VimZ)
Observation date: Jun 10, 2020
Submitted by: LacHeney
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Mar 22, 2021
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