Description
The Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) is a medium-sized butterfly with mottled brown wings featuring dark eyespots and subtle orange markings, often found near hackberry trees in forests, woodlands, and along rivers across North America. They can become very abundant during eruption years, with woodland edges alive with these butterflies darting from branches down to gravel and mud where they take minerals.
Range
It is found from about Lake Mille Lacs and south.
Similar Species
Tawny Emperor is similar but is typically a bit bigger, a bit oranger, and lacks an eyespot on the forewing.
Host Plants
Larvae only feed on hackberry trees (Celtis occidentalis) and others in the genus Celtis but only occidentalis is present in MN.
Flight
Overwinters as a chrysalis, and can emerge as early as May and can fly until September.