Hackberry Butterfly – Asterocampa celtis

Hackberry Butterfly – Asterocampa celtis Common Name: Hackberry Butterfly  Latin Name: Asterocampa celtis Appearance: The Hackberry Butterfly has a wingspan of 2.5-3 inches, brown with irregular light patches, and has two small eyespots on the hindwings.

• Eggs:The eggs of the Hackberry Butterfly are pale green, round, ribbed, and are laid singly on hackberry leaves.
• Pupae:The pupae are brown and mottled and are suspended by a cremaster from a twig or stem.
• Larvae:The larvae of the Hackberry Butterfly are light green with black and white stripes and spines, resembling a twig, and feed on hackberry, elm, and sugarberry leaves.
• Adults:Hackberry Butterfly feeds on tree sap, rotting fruit, and animal droppings. Males defend territories and mate with females.

Host plants: The primary host plant for the Hackberry Butterfly is hackberry, but it also uses elm and sugarberry. Territory: The range of the Hackberry Butterfly includes most of the eastern United States. Damages caused by Hackberry Butterfly: The Hackberry Butterfly does not cause significant damage to its host plants or other vegetation. Life history and habitat: The Hackberry Butterfly emerges as an adult in the summer and lays eggs on host plants. The larvae hatch and feed on the host plant leaves, growing through several instars before pupating on twigs or stems. Adults are found in various habitats, including woodlands, fields, and gardens, and are important members of their ecosystems as a food source for predators such as birds and other insects.