Asterocampa clyton clyton

Photo Life History: Berry's Butterfly Photos

Habitat:  Forest; Dense Riparian Areas

Host Plants:  Celtis occidentalis; Celtis reticulata

Suitable Lab Host Plants:  Many species of Celtis work well in the lab.

How to Find Female Butterflies:  Click here. 

Caring for Live Female Butterflies:  Nectaring techniques

Methods of Female Oviposition:   Open Screen Cages.  (Similar to this video which shows how females of A. celtis celtis were set up for eggs.  Make sure you provide females with new growth hackberry leaves.)

How to Find Eggs:  Look on Host Plants with New Growth. 

How to Hatch Eggs:  Consolidate eggs into one container.

How to Find Caterpillars in the Field: Look for Isolated host plants; Look on Host Plants with New Growth; Look for Gregarious Caterpillar Nests (Success of finding larvae depends on how common the butterfly is.)

How to Find Pupae in the Field:  (See notes below.)

Caterpillar setups:  Open terrariums; Open Bucket.

Larva to Pupa:  Caterpillar silks to leaf or twig; creates and attaches cremaster; hanging before pupating.

Number of Broods per Year:  2-3

Overwintering Stage:  Third instar

Overwintering Strategies: Your Own Backyard; Refrigerator  Balance humidity with airflow or larvae will desiccate (insufficient humidity) or mold (insufficient airflow.)

Post-Hibernation Strategies: Provide post-diapause third instar larvae with healthy host plant; allowing them to resume feeding. 

Avoiding Diapause Techniques:  Expose larvae to 24 hours of light; Healthy Host Plant.

Disease Prevention:  Change out host plant and remove frass every four to five days in an open bucket or open terrarium setup. 

Emergence:  Emergence Container

Field Notes: