2026 Caterpillar Season – Agreeable Tiger Moth

2026 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, wildlife, wildlife photography

Agreeable Tiger Moth
Spilosoma congrua (Walker, 1855), fam. Erebidae, P-no. 930309
Host plants: Recorded hosting on a variety of herbaceous plants in five plant families but likely feeds on more than these. Recorded hosts include members of the Asteraceae (e.g., dandelion), Amaranthaceae (e.g., pigweed), Plantaginaceae (e.g., plantain), Polygonaceae (e.g., smartweed), and has been recorded feeding on bracket polypore fungus (Trichaptum biforme).
Date found(s): August 15, 22, 2026
Location(s) found: Meramec State park, Franklin County, MO; Loggers Lake, Shannon County, MO
Notes: The agreeable tiger moth sequesters bitter plant toxins called iridoid glycosides from their hosts to dissuade predators. It is unclear why Walker used the specific epithet congrua in his original description of this species. However, in the same year, Walker also described a closely related species—Spilosoma dubia, the “dubious tiger moth,” (not yet recorded in Missouri) showing that historic entomologists were not without humor.

2026 Caterpillar Season – Black-etched Prominent—Redux

2026 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

I shared photos of the black-etched prominent a few weeks ago. Since then, I was able to photograph this ultimate instar that we found at Young Conservation Area in Jefferson County, Missouri.

2026 Caterpillar Season – Turbulent Phosphila

2026 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Turbulent Phosphila
Phosphila turbulenta (Hübner, 1818), fam. Noctuidae, P-no. 932208
Host plants: Feeds only on greenbrier (Smilax spp.)
Date found(s): September 7, 2026
Location(s) found: Franklin County, MO
Notes: Despite their apparent warning coloration and their conspicuous nature of often feeding on top of their host’s leaves in broad daylight, it is unknown if turbulent phosphila caterpillars are protected from predators via chemical sequestration. They may simply be mimics, taking advantage of predator’s avoidance of black and white prey animals.

I found the group of gregarious early instars in southern Minnesota in June. Many thanks to Eva Wiedeman for finding and letting me photograph the later instar pictured here.

2026 Caterpillar Season – Dusky Groundling

wildlife, macro, wildlife photography, insects, Lepidoptera, Caterpillars of Tyson Research Center, 2026 Caterpillar Season

Dusky Groundling
Condica vecors (Guenée, 1852), fam. Noctuidae, P-no. 931995
Host plants: Hosts on a variety of Asteraceae family members, seemingly especially fond of boneset (Eupatorium spp.).
Date found(s): September 7, 2026
Location(s) found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: Caterpillars of this species spend their days blending in on the undersides of their host leaves. They are much more active and more easily found feeding at night.

2026 Caterpillar Season – Yellowhorns

2026 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Yellowhorns
Colocasia flavicornis (Smith, 1884) P-no. 931400; Colocasia propinquilinea (Grote, 1873) P-no. 931401; fam. Noctuidae
Host plants: In Missouri, I have found these on river birch (Betula nigra) and ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana). They have been recorded on other woody species, including oak, walnut, and elm.
Date found(s): September 7, 2026
Location(s) found: Ste Genevieve County, MO
Notes: The first couple of times I found Colocasia caterpillars I was confused. At first glance, these look to be young, weird versions of a Halysidota or other tufted caterpillars. Pay close attention to lash placement to distinguish these from other fuzzy potentials.

2026 Caterpillar Season – Black-spotted Prominent

2026 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Black-spotted Prominent
Dasylophia anguina (J.E.Smith, 1797), fam. Notodontidae, P-no. 930133
Host plants: Feeds on mostly herbaceous members of the Fabaceae family but can be found on locust trees and Amorpha shrubs.
Date found(s): September 7, 2026
Location(s) found: Franklin County, MO
Notes: An alternative form of the black-spotted prominent can be found that replaces the lavenders and oranges with greens and blues. Many thanks to Eva Wiedeman for finding this one and letting me photograph it!

2026 Caterpillar Season – Luna Moth

wildlife, macro, wildlife photography, insects, Lepidoptera, Caterpillars of Tyson Research Center, 2026 Caterpillar Season

Luna Moth
Actias luna (Linnaeus, 1758), fam. Saturniidae, P-no. 890072
Host plants: Highly polyphagous. The recorded hosts are plants in 18 families, utilizing mostly woody species.
Date found(s): August 26, September 3, 2026
Location(s) found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO; Ste Genevieve County, MO
Notes: Perhaps the most beautiful and certainly among the most well-known adult moths in Missouri, the luna caterpillars are no ugly ducklings either. These caterpillars are voracious eaters, usually staying on their hatch tree until it is time to pupate. Like all our saturniids, the adult luna lacks mouth parts and does not eat. Their time as adults is short, living 7-10 days.

2026 Caterpillar Season – Pleasant Dagger

2026 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Pleasant Dagger
Acronicta laetifica (Smith, 1897), fam. Noctuidae, P-no. 931444
Host plants: Feeds solely on woody members of the Betulaceae family, namely musclewood (Carpinus caroliniana) and ironwood (Ostrya virginiana).
Date found(s): September 4, 2026
Location(s) found: Hawn State Park, Ste Genevieve County, MO
Notes: Host plant preferences for the pleasant dagger are not as cut and dry as many of our lepidopterans. Some authoritative sources, particularly historical references, list either hickory (Carya) or woody Rosaceae members as hosts. However, modern surveys have only found this species utilizing the above-mentioned members of the Betulaceae as hosts. It is unclear whether these discrepancies are related to changes in host preferences, or if previous documentation may refer to incorrectly identifying the moth species.

2026 Caterpillar Season – Azalea Sphinx—Redux

2026 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

I recently shared some photos of likely forth instar azalea moth caterpillars that we found in early August. Steve and I went back to Hawn State Park in early September hoping to find some late/final instars and had some luck! To my great surprise, after returning home from one of these outings on Labor Day weekend, I found a final instar caterpillar on my backyard nannyberry (Viburnum lentago).

Final instar azalea sphinx caterpillar

Final instar azalea sphinx caterpillar showing prepupal coloration

2026 Caterpillar Season – Fawn Sphinx

2026 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, WGNSS Field Trips, wildlife, wildlife photography

Fawn Sphinx
Sphinx kalmiae (J.E.Smith, 1797), fam. Sphingidae, P-no. 890118
Host plants: Specializes in woody members of the olive family (Oleaceae), such as ash (Fraxinus spp.), and fringe-tree (Chionanthus virginicus).
Date found(s): August 16, 2026
Location(s) found: Loggers Lake Recreation Area, Shannon County, MO
Notes: The species epithet, kalmiae, is a misnomer that, unfortunately, has created a misunderstanding about the natural history of this species that continues to this day. Because of the name kalmiae, early entomologists assumed the moth’s main host was mountin-laurel (Kalmia), which are not even true laurels. In reality, field data has shown that the caterpillars heavily favor plants in the olive family (Oleaceae). The kalmiae name was given to honor Pehr (Peter) Kalm, an 18th-century Swedish botanist and apostle of Carl Linnaeus, and not in reference to laurels. The name Fawn Sphinx has been suggested and is now becoming more widely accepted.