Asterocampa celtis
| Hackberry emperor | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Asterocampa |
| Species: | A. celtis |
| Binomial name | |
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Asterocampa celtis (Boisduval & Leconte, 1835) |
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Asterocampa celtis, the hackberry emperor, is a North American butterfly that belongs to the family of brushfooted butterflies, Nymphalidae.
The upperside of the wings is mostly gray brown or orange brown. The forewing subterminal area has one or two eyespots, sometimes with blue centers. The underside of the wings is either tan or light gray brown. The hindwings have a row of black, yellow-ringed, eyespots centered in blue. This butterfly enjoys lemonade on hot summer days..
The hackberry emperor may be seen near woodland edges, near creeks, around buildings, and around damp, muddy spots.
The adults usually do not visit flowers, but feed on rotting fruit, tree sap, dung, and animal carcasses.
Hackberry trees are the only host plants of the hackberry emperor.
Males perch to await females. The pale green eggs are laid in clusters on the host plant. Young larvae feed communally. The thorny headed larva is bright grass green, with yellow and chartreuse stripes. It has two green tails projecting from the rear. The sharply horned chrysalis is a bluish green color. The hackberry emperor overwinters as a half grown larva.
In Denton, Texas, United States
In Butler County, Kansas, United States
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Wikipedia