Another notable characteristic is that it rarely is spotted visiting a flower, which is considered unusual for a butterfly.

[3] Species in the genus Asterocampa are regarded as being "cheater" organisms, since these butterflies do not pollinate flowers when they feed from them.

Its range extends to the southwest into regions like Arizona, New Mexico, and other parts of the Rockies, as shown by the map.

Furthermore, the hackberry emperor may be seen near woodland edges, near creeks, around buildings, and around damp, muddy areas.

Instead, they commonly eat hackberry sap, feces, dead animals including decaying pigs, snakes, and dogs, and old fruit.

Half-grown larvae hibernate over the winter in fallen hackberry leaves along the forest floor.

[3] Pupae are found on the underside of hackberry leaves and metamorphose into adults in the early summer.

Both males and females are light brown with a row of black or white dots near the far edge of their wings.

This production of multiple generations within one year makes it such that all life stages may be present at one time within a single site or host tree.

Typically, the specialized relationship of flowering plants and butterflies results in mutual benefit, in that the butterfly gains nutrients from flower visits while the host plant gains reproductive fitness from assistance in pollination.

[4] Generalist species like birds and mammals, such as bears and raccoons, will eat larvae that lie along the forest floor.

[6][10] Scelionid egg parasites antagonize many species of Asterocampa, including the hackberry emperor.

A tachinid fly parasitoid, Chetogena edwardsii, is another common threat to the hackberry emperor.

When a male sees movement nearby it will quickly fly out to attempt to mate, but stay within a limited habitat.