Satyrodes clyton
Tawny Emperor.
Hosts: Elm family: Celtis occidentalis, C. tenuifolia, C. laevigata, C. lindheimeri, C. reticulata.
Caterpillar head adorned with "crown of thorns".
Dorsum and often sides with yellow or white stripes. Body often zigzagged at rest.
In A. celtis,
dorsal striping often inconspicuous to absent (eastern populations); and body often straight at rest.
Adults feed on tree sap, rotting fruit, dung, carrion; almost never visit flowers.
Eggs are laid in large groups of 200-500 on bark or the underside of mature leaves of host plants.
Young caterpillars feed gregariously.
Third-stage caterpillars hibernate in groups of about 10 inside a dead curled leaf.
Adults pictured are female ups and und.
Female broader, larger, more rounded and paler than male, which has wings concavely curved and drawn out.
Larger and brighter than A. celtis.
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