Eastern buckmoth
Hemileuca maia (Drury, 1773)
Family: Saturniidae
Subfamily: Hemileucinae
Identification: Females are larger than males. Male abdomen is black with a red tip, female abdomen is black. Upperside is black with an off-white median band and a small eyespot on each wing.
Wing Span: 2 - 3 inches (5 - 7.5 cm).
Life History: Adults emerge in the morning and mating takes place in early afternoon. In the late afternoon, females lay groups of eggs in rings around twigs of the host. The eggs overwinter, and when they hatch the next spring the young caterpillars feed in groups. Caterpillars wander about and make their cocoons in leaf litter on the ground or a few inches underground in soft soil.
Flight: One brood from September-December.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various oaks including scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia), live oak (Q. virginiana), blackjack oak (Q. marilandica), and dwarf chestnut oak (Q. prinoides).
Adult Food: Adults do not feed.
Habitat: Scrub oak-pine sand barrens, oak woods, and oak trees in cities.
Range: Maine west to eastern Kansas; south to northern Florida, the Gulf states, and eastern Texas.
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.
Comments: NULL
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 121 - 144 of 346 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 30, 2012
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Feb 25, 2014
Observation date: Jul 05, 2009
Submitted by: Chip Krilowicz
Region: Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 11, 2014
Observation date: Dec 27, 2013
Submitted by: Mike Dillon
Region: Harrison County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 27, 2013
Observation date: Dec 04, 2013
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 13, 2013
Observation date: Dec 01, 2013
Submitted by: bluehawk11
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 03, 2013
Observation date: Nov 21, 2013
Submitted by: Ken Bosso
Region: East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 23, 2013
Observation date: Jul 05, 2013
Submitted by: Idea73
Region: Fluvanna County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 06, 2013
Observation date: Jul 14, 2013
Submitted by: MHBeardsley
Region: Fauquier County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 06, 2013
Observation date: Jul 09, 2013
Submitted by: Criag Campanelli
Region: Albemarle County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 06, 2013
Observation date: Oct 31, 2013
Submitted by: gkanode
Region: Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 01, 2013
Observation date: Oct 27, 2013
Submitted by: draysh76
Region: King George County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 27, 2013
Observation date: Sep 21, 2013
Submitted by: rdhealy1951@aol.com
Region: Hardin County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 04, 2013
Observation date: Jul 28, 2013
Submitted by: Jenmg012
Region: New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jul 30, 2013
Observation date: Jul 04, 2013
Submitted by: Toni Hill
Region: Bedford County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 15, 2013
Observation date: Jun 29, 2013
Submitted by: aswartz1981
Region: Lumpkin County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Jul 15, 2013
Observation date: Jul 11, 2013
Submitted by: cdicola
Region: Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 13, 2013
Observation date: Jun 16, 2013
Submitted by: meinhardmk
Region: Cumberland County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 02, 2013
Observation date: Jun 24, 2013
Submitted by: Trine
Region: Virginia, Westmoreland County, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 02, 2013
Observation date: Jun 16, 2013
Submitted by: chadritchie
Region: Alexander County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 28, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: jaykub83
Region: Pulaski County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 20, 2013
Observation date: Jun 15, 2013
Submitted by: vicsands
Region: Roane County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 18, 2013
Observation date: Jun 14, 2013
Submitted by: cobal2913
Region: Athens County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 15, 2013
Observation date: May 25, 2013
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 27, 2013
Observation date: May 15, 2013
Submitted by: Ladec
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 19, 2013
- ‹ previous
- 6 of 15
- next ›