Hackberry Emperor Butterfly Asterocampa celtis

The Hackberry Emperor butterfly, Asterocampa celtis is found in areas where Hackberry trees grow. Their host plant is Hackberry or Sugarberry trees. Hackberry is found in most of the United States except for the upper NW, Maine, and New Hamshire. Hackberry and Sugarberry trees are common landscape plants. Hackberry butterflies enjoy dining on decaying fruit. In late fall, caterpillars make a nest by sewing hackberry leaves together and to the tree. They move into the nest and slowly, over weeks, turn from green to brown. As the trees drop their leaves for the winter, the hibernaculums (winter nests) stay on the tree. The caterpillars stay in their hibernaculums until fresh leaves grow in the spring. At that time, they crawl out of their nests and continue to eat and grow. Overwintering in this way is called 'diapause'.

Hackberry Emperor Butterfly Adult eating from loquat (Japanese Plum)	Hackberry Emperor Butterfly On a Hackberry Leaf
Hackberry Eating Loquat Asterocampa celtis	Hackberry Tree Leaves Celtis sp.
Hackberry Emperor Caterpillar Dots along its back Resembles Tawny Emperor Caterpillar	Tawny Emperor Butterfly Caterpillar Lines along its back Resembles Hackberry Emperor Caterpillar
Hackberry Emperor Caterpillar Its Head is Fascinating	Hackberry Emperor Caterpillar Asterocampa celtis
Large Hackberry Emperor Caterpillar Smaller Tawny Emperor Caterpillars	Two Hackberry Chrysalises On Hackberry Leaves
Caterpillars Spend the Entire Winter in leaf nests called hibernaculums	In Spring, Summer, and Early Fall Caterpillars hide in folded leaves

Hackberry Emperor Butterflies Asterocampa celtis can be found near hackbery trees in fields or in cities.