Host plants (larval food plants) are hackberry and sugarberry.

Tawny Emperor butterflies overwinter as caterpillars (larvae). With silk webbing, caterpillars 'sew' leaves to the twig and 'sew' leaves together to make winter nests called hibernaculums. Caterpillars change from their normal green color to brown when they enter winter diapause. Host plant tree leaves fall to the ground in the winter. Leaves sewn on by caterpillars stay upon the tree. In the spring, when fresh leaves have started growing, caterpillars emerge from thier hibernaculums, leave diapause, and start eating growing again.

Hackberry Emperor butterflies also use hackberrry/sugarberry as host plants. During spring and summer they make nests to stay in while not eating. Both Hackberry and Tawny Emperor caterpillars will stay in the same nest, emerging to eat. Although some species of butterflies (like the Long-tailed Skipper) will keep thier nests clean by removing all frass,
Tawny and Hackberry caterpillar nests are often filled with frass.

How can you tell the difference between Hackberry Emperor and Tawny Emperor caterpillars? Hackberry caterpillars sport a row of dots down the middle of their backs. Tawny caterpillars sport a line down the middle of thier backs.

Tawny Emperor adult butterflies prefer to feed upon rotting fruit, dead animals, tree sap, and manure before feeding upon flower nectar.