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| Hackberry Butterfly |
Latin
Name: Asterocampa celtis |
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Genus: Asterocampa Species: celtis |
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Comments: |
| The Hackberry Butterfly has a strong, rapid flight and rarely ventures out into open areas. Males readily establish territories. They perch on sunlit leaves, overhanging branches or tree trunks along forest trails and woodland edges, and dart out to engage passing objects or make exploratory flights. Adults are drawn to sap flows or rotting fruit. Although often spotty in distribution, the species can be relatively abundant when encountered. |
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Life
Cycle: |
Broods: |
multiple generations |
Egg: |
cream-white, laid singly or in small clusters on host leaves |
Larva: |
light green with two narrow dorsal yellow stripes and mottled with small yellow spots; head is dark and bears two stubby, branched horns; rear end has a pair of short tails |
Host Plants: |
Sugarberry |
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Host
Plants: |
Host
Plants: |
Sugarberry |
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Habitat: |
Habitat: |
rich, shady woodlands and forest margins |
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Wingspan: |
Inches: |
2 - 2.6 |
Centimeters: |
5.1 - 6.6 |
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Appearance: |
Sexes: |
similar, although female has broader wings |
Compare: |
Tawny Emperor is more orangebrown above and lacks white forewing spots and single forewing eyespot. |
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| Markings: |
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Above:
- amber-brown with dark markings and borders; forewing bears several small white spots near the apex and a single submarginal black eyespot; hindwing has a postmedian row of dark spots
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Below:
- as above with muted coloration; hindwing has postmedian row of yellow-rimmed black spots with blue green centers
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Map Legend: Resident (green) | Stray
(Red) |
