Imperial moth
Eacles imperialis (Drury, 1773)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Ceratocampinae
Identification: Females are larger than males. Upperside is yellow with pinkish brown to purple-brown patches, bands, and cell spots, and tiny brown spots scattered overall. Males have larger patches on the forewings than females, except for some subspecies pini males which have reduced purple and are mostly yellow.
Wing Span: 3 1/8 - 6 7/8 inches (8 - 17.4 cm).
Life History: Adults emerge before sunrise and mate after midnight the next day. Females lay eggs at dusk singly or in groups of 2-5 on both surfaces of host plant leaves. The eggs hatch in about 2 weeks, and the caterpillars are solitary feeders. Pupation takes place in underground burrows.
Flight: One brood; in the north from June-August, in the south from April-October.
Caterpillar Hosts: Conifers and deciduous trees and shrubs including pine (Pinus), oak (Quercus), box elder (Acer negundo), maples (Acer), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and sassafras (Sassafras albidum). Confirmed feeding on Norway spruce (see record 738773). Subspecies pini feeds only on conifers.
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Deciduous and evergreen forests.
Range: Maine west to eastern Nebraska, south to the Florida Keys and central Texas. Subspecies pini occurs across the northern Great Lakes basin and the northern third of Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
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 433 - 456 of 2704 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 31, 2019
Submitted by: Kleigh107
Region: Jefferson County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 31, 2019
Observation date: Jul 20, 2015
Submitted by: M_S_R
Region: Franklin County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 30, 2019
Observation date: Aug 16, 2019
Submitted by: roysmock
Region: Wagoner County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 30, 2019
Observation date: Aug 29, 2019
Submitted by: Jkallison
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Aug 30, 2019
Observation date: Aug 29, 2019
Submitted by: rubyloftin
Region: Wagoner County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 29, 2019
Observation date: Aug 29, 2019
Submitted by: jaimed44
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 29, 2019
Observation date: Aug 28, 2019
Submitted by: Fastfr8
Region: Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 29, 2019
Observation date: Aug 28, 2019
Submitted by: Absofficial17
Region: Texas, Williamson County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 29, 2019
Observation date: Aug 28, 2019
Submitted by: GrassyKnowls
Region: Dale County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 28, 2019
Observation date: Aug 28, 2019
Submitted by: AreagorDDS
Region: Texas, Nacogdoches County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 28, 2019
Observation date: Aug 27, 2019
Submitted by: Roy Thibodeau
Region: Citrus County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 28, 2019
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: lordshiner
Region: Texas, Williamson County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: dettdetect74
Region: Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: Kara F
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 25, 2019
Observation date: Aug 25, 2019
Submitted by: suezbugz
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 25, 2019
Observation date: Aug 25, 2019
Submitted by: Kixfan
Region: Jefferson County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 25, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: KKB530
Region: Texas, Smith County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 24, 2019
Observation date: Aug 23, 2019
Submitted by: Beachyjenn1972
Region: Johnston County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Jul 20, 2019
Submitted by: JMJaskula
Region: Jefferson County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 03, 2019
Submitted by: pmrules21
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Jul 25, 2019
Submitted by: pmrules21
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 22, 2019
Submitted by: Goldie7
Region: Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 22, 2019
Submitted by: Pshifley
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 22, 2019
Observation date: Aug 20, 2019
Submitted by: maryelenawest
Region: Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 21, 2019
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