Asterocampa clyton flora

(Edwards, 1876)

Florida Tawny Emperor

Asterocampa clyton flora is a of the tawny emperor , commonly known as the Florida Tawny Emperor. It is to Florida and is distinguished from other subspecies by subtle differences in wing pattern and coloration. Like other members of the , are known to feed on sap flows, rotting fruit, and animal rather than flower nectar. The subspecies is associated with forested where its larval plants, hackberries (Celtis spp.), occur.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Asterocampa clyton flora: //ˌæstɛroʊˈkæmpə ˌklaɪˈtɒn ˈflɔːrə//

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Identification

The Florida Tawny Emperor (A. c. flora) can be distinguished from the nominate A. c. clyton and the Texas Tawny Emperor (A. c. texana) by geographic range and subtle wing pattern differences. The subspecies is to Florida, whereas A. c. clyton occurs northward and A. c. texana occurs in Texas and adjacent regions. have orange-brown wings with darker marginal bands and small eyespots on the hindwings. The forewing apex is more pointed than in related hackberry butterflies.

Habitat

Forested areas, particularly hammocks and woodlands where hackberry trees (Celtis spp.) occur. The is associated with subtropical and temperate forest in peninsular Florida.

Distribution

to Florida, United States. The occurs throughout the Florida peninsula and has been recorded as far north as Georgia in some sources, though its core range is Florida.

Diet

feed on sap flows, rotting fruit, carrion, and animal . They rarely visit flowers for nectar. Larvae feed exclusively on hackberry leaves (Celtis spp., Cannabaceae).

Host Associations

  • Celtis spp. - larval plantHackberry trees are the exclusive food source for larvae

Behavior

are known to aggregate at sap flows on tree trunks, where they may occur alongside other insects including beetles and other . This has been documented in the related A. c. texana. Adults are fast, erratic fliers and often perch on tree trunks with wings closed, relying on cryptic coloration for camouflage.

Ecological Role

As a herbivore, larvae play a role in nutrient cycling within forest . serve as prey for birds and other and may contribute to pollination indirectly through their presence at sap flows and rotting fruit.

Human Relevance

The Florida Tawny Emperor is of interest to watchers and photographers. It is not considered economically important. The is sometimes confused with the related hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis).

Similar Taxa

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Sources and further reading