Tawny Emperor Butterfly (Asterocampa clyton) and Close Relative

Both the Tawny Emperor and Hackberry Emperor were attracted to sap from a white oak tree. This tree is serving as a natural bait station for moths, butterflies, beetles, and ants. Tawny Emperors are closely related (same genus) to Hackberry Emperors. The larvae (caterpillars) of both species feed on hackberry (Celtis sp.).

Adults may be distinguished from those of the Hackberry Emperor by the two complete dark bars in the front wing cell and the lack of a sub-marginal dark eyespot on the front wings. Also, the hackberry emperor has rows of pure white spots on the upper front wings that are pale yellow in the tawny emperor. Viewed from below, the hindwing of the Tawny Emperor (photo on right) has smudged, iridescent eyespots and is browner than that of the gray-brown Hackberry Emperor (photo on left), which has distinct eyespots. This post has ventral (below) views of each species.

In my area of South Carolina, Hackberry Emperors are far more common than Tawny Emperors.

Posted on July 6, 2024 12:50 PM by kencheeks