A. celtis life history
Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) Life History

Freshening eggs, 11-2-12

Recently-emerged caterpillars, 11-4-12

First instar is now 4mm, 11-5-12

Second instar, 11-7-12

Third instar, 11-9-12

Fourth instar; larger caterpillar is 15mm; 11-12-12

Fifth instar, 21mm, 11-18-12

Chrysalis, 11-23-12

Fresh Hackberry Emperor ventral, 12-1-12

Fresh Hackberry Emperor dorsal, 12-1-12

A female Hackberry Emperor was captured and held with a potted Hackberry tree (Celtis laevigata) for a couple of days; she was then released. No eggs were seen at that time. However, a few days later I discovered she had placed some eggs on the plant. When found on 11-2-12, they were already showing signs of development. The buff-colored eggs blend in very well with the Hackberry leaves: I later found caterpillars on the plant whose position suggested the female had possibly two additional egg clusters.

The caterpillars emerged on November 4. In the first instar they had black heads. Tawny Emperor caterpillars, which use the same plant, have brown heads in the first instar (at least, those of the one group which I have raised did). Additionally, the Hackberry larvae were not as communal as the Tawny Emperor larvae were.

In the second instar the head became somewhat knobby; the knobbiness was most pronounced in the third instar.

Inset: a black-form face of a
caterpillar raised in 2010.


Several caterpillars were released in an early instar; 3 were raised to maturity. These pupated 19-20 days after they emerged from the eggs; the adults emerged 8 days later.

Caterpillar comparison of the three common Asterocampa species found in Starr County.

Hackberry Emperor Page