From zone 3 to Florida’s zone 9, Hackberries flourish in any type of soil: acidic, alkaline, clay or loamy or sandy. Is there a solution? Birds also celebrate Hackberry trees. The hackberry butterfly is a subtly colored insect that is a brown blur on the wing, but an eyed beauty up close. Caterpillar: Light green with two narrow stripes and numerous yellow spots. Status: The Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) is a member of a small genus of butterflies closely associated with hackberries (Celtis sp.) Larvae are similar to those of the tawny emperor: green with yellow-green and white stripes; the last segment is forked. Tawny Emperor vs Hackberry Emperor Caterpillars I see this come up every once in a while: somebody sees an Asterocampa caterpillar but doesn't know which one. The May flowers are an insignificant green, but the pale green spring leaves and yellow fall foliage are attractive. This American native’s resistance to pollution makes it the perfect urban tree. There is a pair of short tails on the rear. They are spread far and wide by birds and have at least a 300% germination rate. Is there a perfect tree? Jun 2, 2013 - The Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) is a North American butterfly that belongs to the family of brushfooted butterflies, Nymphalidae. In fall and again in spring, great flocks of migrating cedar waxwings swoop onto the Hackberry tree to gobble berries while discussing their journey in that distinctive musical twitter. North American Butterfly Association Home, Butterfly Garden Certification Program Details. The Hackberry Emperor can often be found in woodlands, city parks and gardens. (aka: Hackberry Butterfly) These beautifully patterned butterflies are a true delight. Add Comment. The eggs are found in large clusters on the underside of a leaf. The dorsal (top) forewing tips are black with white spots; there is also a distinct black eyespot on the forewing. And our beautiful fox squirrels eat both the leaf galls and the fruit. Seen from below, the hackberry emperor's hindwing has a row of eyespots: blue spots surrounded by black, yellow, and brown concentric rings. It looks like nothing else on your neat site. Landscape designers effusively praise the Hackberry tree and rate it “superior.” Like other members of the elm family, it creates a shady canopy, growing to 60 feet with a 40 to 50 foot spread. Hackberries.  Caterpillar Food Plant: Partridge Pea Looking more closely, the upperside cell (the discal cell is the narrowly oval section at the front core of the forewing) of the hackberry emperor has one unbroken dark bar, while the inner dark "bar" is broken into 2 offset spots (this region on the tawny … About every five years, we are blessed with huge eruptions of Hackberry Emperors. They prefer feeding on overripe fruit and tree sap than to nectar in flowers. The hackberry emperor is similar to the closely related, but less common tawny emperor ( A. clyton ), but it is a more neutral tan, while the tawny is more rust-colored. All stages provide food for predators. The Hackberry Emperor caterpillar in the photo below has fallen victim to a parasitic wasp. In spring, they move back into the tree canopy to resume feeding. Cats overwinter in groups, inside rolled, dead leaves. ), a host-plant for the Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) butterfly. Hackberry Emperor. Dorsally, the forewing is a dark chocolate to black color with several white … This is one of several butterflies that are attracted to sodium in human sweat, so they often alight on people. The ... (Celtis spp. With sharp eyes and luck, all seedlings are eradicated each spring, except for a lucky few that choose their landing spot well. At the rear end, a pair of sharp tail-like protrusions is found. This sort of data can be useful in seeing concentrations of a particular species over the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. The hackberry tree is the only host plant for A. celtis and is the food source for larvae. Similar species: The tawny emperor, from above, doesn’t have white spots on dark forewing tips, lacks the black eyespot, and has two unbroken bars at the leading edge of the forewing, not a bar and two spots. Many butterflies and moths are associated with particular types of food plants, which their caterpillars must eat in order to survive. hackberry trees. Caterpillar food: Celtis sp. The larva’s body is approximately 1.4 inches in length with the head bearing brown-black horn-like dorsal projections. Gardening With Milkweeds Help us reach our goal so we can continue to support butterfly habitat in North America. Above: FW and HW light brown. Both share the same range east of the Rockies, but the Tawny Emperor's is more concentrated in the center of that region. (OK. The larger caterpillars have. Identification: Extremely variable geographically. Scientific name: Eacles imperialis. I have personally taste-tested the sweetness of the dark red berries, a thin flesh around a single nutlet. Hackberry Emperor PUPA near his Collapsed Larval Exoskeleton. Hackberry Emperor … The larval caterpillars feed on the leaves of hackberry trees. The two most common hackberries in the eastern US, the more northern hackberry, Celtis occidentalis Linnaeus, and the more southern sugarberry, Celtis laevigata Willd., can usually be recognized by the slightly to heavily warty appearance (or It is a large butterfly and is similar in appearance to the Hackberry Emperor. North American Butterfly Association's Butterfly Garden and Habitat program would not exist without the generous donations of supporters like you. HW with row of black spots inward from margin. The hackberry emperor, Asterocampa celtis (Boisduval & Leconte), is also known as the hackberry butterfly (Miller 1992) although the latter name is somewhat misleading because there are two other eastern United States butterflies—the American snout, Libytheana carinenta [Cramer], and the tawny emperor, Asterocampa clyton [Boisduval & Leconte]—and also a number of other Asterocampa … City yards, parks, and wooded areas. Find local MDC conservation agents, consultants, education specialists, and regional offices. The entire body is a bright green having pale yellow bumps.  Caterpillar Food Plant Spicebush Asterocampa celtis. Competition between the two closely related species may be reduced by the fact that tawny emperor larvae often feed on older foliage whereas hackberry emperor la… It gets its name from the hackberry tree (Celtis occidentalis and others in the genus Celtis) upon which it lays its eggs. Many people see males of this butterfly perching, head-down, on trees, bushes, the sides of houses, and other tall objects, darting out at passing butterflies, animals, and people. Looking more closely, the upperside cell (the discal cell is the narrowly oval section at the front core of the forewing) of the hackberry emperor has one unbroken dark bar, while the inner dark "bar" is broken into 2 offset spots (this region on the tawny emperor has two unbroken dark bars). Post was not sent - check your email addresses! This beautiful native tree feeds animals, grows under tough conditions and harvests as attractive hardwood for furniture and flooring. More than 700 species in North America north of Mexico, Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants. We facilitate and provide opportunity for all citizens to use, enjoy, and learn about these resources. Hackberry trees are the only host plants of the Hackberry Emperor. My one huge mature specimen keeps everyone provided with winter food. In late fall, half-grown caterpillars turn brown and group together inside curled hackberry leaves. The caterpillars are herbivores that graze on hackberry leaves. The adults seldom visit flowers, but they do absorb nutrients from tree sap, rotting fruit, carrion, animal droppings, and damp sand or muddy ground. The following article originally appeared in Butterfly Gardener, a NABA publication for members. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Her larva will develop inside the caterpillar, consuming its insides until the wasp is mature enough to emerge. Mature Hackberry trees prefer full sun, but will grow in partial shade. Jack Powell is an accomplishes bird photographer from Oklahoma. Overall it is a dark brown to a rich tan color. Zebra Longwing caterpillar eating a leaf of Citrus-Yellow Passion Flower (Passiflora citrina) which Judi purchased at world-famous Butterfly World in Coconut Creek, Florida. We were so close to perfection! As both the common and scientific names suggest, hackberry trees (genus Celtis) are the host plants for the larvae of this species. Stomping through the snowy forest, a hiker can easily identify Hackberry trees by the light gray bark arranged in deep, corky furrows that look like mountain ranges.  Caterpillar Food Plant Black Cherry Selected reprinted articles are available throughout the website.  Butterfly Feeders in Minnesota Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) The Hackberry Emperor is mainly olive brown or gray-brown in color, with dark spots. Below, its hindwings have only smudgy-looking eyespots. If you don’t tug the seedlings out the first year, they resist all but the strongest arm. The tawny emperor, Asterocampa clyton (Boisduval & LeConte), is a medium sized, rather non-descript butterfly that is particularly common in riparian forests, but is also found in dry woods and suburbs (Opler et al. Tawny Emperor caterpillars eggs are laid in large groups of 200 to 500 on Hackberry bark or leaves. Adults fly from May through September. 2011). As you might expect, the caterpillar is unlikely to survive. 7/2008 . Upperside is reddish brown. Consider the magnificent Hackberry tree, Celtis occidentalis. The hackberry emperor, Asterocampa celtis (Boisduval & Leconte), is also known as the hackberry butterfly (Miller 1992) although the latter name is somewhat misleading because there are two other eastern United States butterflies - the American snout, Libytheana carinenta [Cramer], and thetawny emperor, Asterocampa clyton [Boisduval & Leconte] — and also a number of other Asterocampaspecies, in other areas, that use ha… Always associated with hackberry trees, which are widespread in our state (Missouri has three species of hackberries). Identification: Small—2.0. The hackberry emperor is similar to the closely related, but less common tawny emperor (A. clyton), but it is a more neutral tan, while the tawny is more rust-colored. Look for adult Hackberry Emperors in forests, woodland edges, near water sources (creeks, rivers, streams), gardens and backyards.  Caterpillar Food Plant Hackberry Selected reprinted articles are available on the main NABA website. Butterflies, skippers, and moths belong to an insect order called the Lepidoptera — the "scale-winged" insects. Butterfly Gardener magazine is published four times a year exclusively for members of North American Butterfly Association. It originally appeared in Vol 14: No.1, Spring 2009. They are fast, erratic flyers. The Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton) is a species of brush-footed butterfly. ... Hackberry Emperor LARVA (Asterocampa celtis) next to Mantis Egg Case. These are maintained as stooled specimens that don’t bear berries and provide succulent leaves for the caterpillars. days they hatch into tiny green caterpillars with white stripes.  Caterpillar Food Plant: Violets, American Butterflies magazine is published four times a year exclusively for members of North American Butterfly Association. No problem, because I can count on the choice of hundreds of replacements each spring. Asterocampa celtis, the hackberry emperor, is a North American butterfly that belongs to the brushfooted butterfly family, Nymphalidae. In a word, berries. The scales, whether muted or colorful, seem dusty if they rub off on your fingers. Stooled specimens are short-lived and after four or five years, they give up in frustration over not being allowed to achieve their genetic potential. Females deposit eggs in masses, and the larvae are gregarious when young, seemingly swarming on leaves in feeding groups. Wing span: 1 3/8 - 2 1/2 inches (3.5 - 6.3 cm). Hackberry emperors fly fast and erratically. Honey locust caterpillar feeds on honey locust, and Kentucky coffee trees. The following photos show the instars of a Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar (larva) that we raised in our living room. Hackberry Emperor Because Tawny and Hackberry Emperors rarely nectar, you are most likely to encounter them in or near wooded areas where their caterpillar food is present. And by the third year, even Round-up requires multiple applications to eradicate the pesky upstarts. The map below showcases (in blue) the states and territories of North America where the Hackberry Emperor Butterfly may be found (but is not limited to). Larvae burrow underground in order to metamorphose into adults. Tweet; Habitat: Found on Sugarberry tree (Celtis laevigata) in my backyard on the edge of mixed hardwood/pine wooded area. NABA member Lenora Larson has graciously allowed us to reprint it here. In Missouri, this includes the common hackberry, C. occidentalis, as well as sugarberry (or southern hackberry), C. laevigata. Interesting caterpillar. About every five years, we are blessed with huge eruptions of Hackberry Emperors. They also feed on sugarberry trees.  Caterpillar Food Plant Pipevine Hackberry Emperor at Grand Gulf State Park in Thayer, MO. We protect and manage the fish, forest, and wildlife of the state. Here is the life cycle of the hackberry emperor butterfly. Perfect! It is native to North America, especially the eastern half from Canada to northern Mexico. The … … … Seen from below, the hindwing has a row of eyespots: blue spots surrounded by black, yellow, and brown concentric rings. Hackberry Emperor Butterfly Caterpillar. The head is ringed with small fingerlike projects, and 2 larger projections on top of the head fork and resemble miniature deer antlers. The book says 34%, but it seems like 300%). From June to October, I’m patrolling my gardens for seedlings. In the fall, groups of half-grown caterpillars attach themselves to rolled dead leaves. This delicately beautiful butterfly delights people throughout the eastern United States when it lands on our skin on hot days to absorb salts from our sweat. After. Asterocampa celtis – Hackberry Emperor. Call 1-800-392-1111 to report poaching and arson. Many species of butterflies consider it the perfect caterpillar food plant, including the Question Mark, Mourning Cloak, Hackberry Emperor, Tawny Emperor and the darling American Snout. The caterpillar is a pretty pale green with a small but noticeable crown of horns behind its head. The caterpillars eat the leaves of. Hackberry Emperor Asterocampa celtis BRUSHFOOT FAMILY (Nymphalidae) Description This small butterfly has a wingspan of 2 – 2 1/2 inches. Forewing has 1 submarginal eyespot, a jagged row of white spots, and the cell … Asterocampa celtis. Even better, the “geographic” bark provides that scarcity, winter charm. — Hackberry emperor feeds on several species of hackberry while mourning cloak, question mark and painted lady caterpillars all feed on American elm. Winter residents such as yellow-bellied sapsuckers, wild turkeys, and mockingbirds depend on the persistent berries. Here are some photos of a very small and strange looking caterpillar we have in our backyard. They overwinter in leaf litter. Asterocampa celtis, the Hackberry Emperor caterpillar, feeds exclusively on Hackberry (Celtis) species. It is often found in association with the hackberry emperor, Asterocampa celtis(Boisduval & LeConte), which is usually more abundant. Head is dark and bears two stubby, antler-like horns. These living jewels have tiny, overlapping scales that cover their wings like shingles. 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In North America North of Mexico, Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody plants %, but time stands... Was not sent - check your email addresses while mourning cloak, question mark and painted lady caterpillars feed. Bars extending in from leading edge is broken ( think, `` hacked ). Grasses and Other Nonwoody plants the dorsal ( top ) forewing tips are black white! 2 bars extending in from leading edge is broken ( think, `` hacked '' ) into 2.. Subtly colored insect that is a pretty pale green with two narrow stripes numerous... Pesky upstarts bars extending in from leading edge is broken ( think, `` hacked '' ) 2. A bright green having pale yellow bumps in Vol 14: No.1, spring 2009 wide by and. Have at least a 300 % ) beautiful native tree feeds animals, grows under tough and! One of several butterflies that are attracted to sodium in human sweat so! Eradicated hackberry emperor caterpillar spring fish, forest, and regional offices steering wheel, enjoying its.... 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