Hackberry Emperor 
Asterocampa celtis

Hackberry Emperor is locally common statewide and is more often seen than Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton). There are two races: A.c. celtis that occurs north of the Fall Line and in the northern Coastal Plain and A.c. reinthali that occurs on the Coast. Dr. W.J. Reinthal who did the original study on reinthali stated that it has been found as far north in the Coastal Plain as Macon. (Harris 1972), but A.c. celtis is also found in the Coastal Plain away from the Coast. Gatrelle found only A. c. celtis in Burke County, but Dr. Richard T. Arbogast (Univ. of FL) found only A.c. reinthali in Savannah (Chatham County)(Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptery Survey, Vol.1,Gatrelle 1999). Distinguishing between the two subspecies is difficult. The hostplants are American hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) that occurs only in the most northerly counties, Georgia (Dwarf) Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia) that is widespread in the Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain, and Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) that is widespread in the Coastal Plain and is the hostplant on the Coast. There are two to three broods, with probably two in the northern counties and three in the Lower Coastal Plain from late April to early October. Early Date: April 23 (Twiggs County); Late Date: October 1 (Barrow County). Conservation Status: Secure.