Variable Oakleaf Caterpillar
Lochmaeus manteo and L. bilineata fam. Notodontidae
Host plant: Found on oaks (Quercus sp.)
Date found: Multiple dates in August – September, 2024
Locations Found: Hawn State Park, Ste. Genevieve County, MO; Onondaga Cave State Park, Crawford County, MO
Notes: Highly variable and larvae are apparently impossible to distinguish between the two species.
First, a glimpse of the variable patterns and colors of these cats.
The adult photographed at Schoolcraft Prairie in Washington County, MO in mid-August, 2024.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 