Ashen Pinion
Lithophane antennata (Walker, 1858) P-no. 932577, fam. Noctuidae
Host plant: Found on white oak (Quercus alba)
Dates found: 2 May, 2026
Locations found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: This species is noteworthy for a couple of interesting natural history stories. First, this is a rare case of a lepidopteran that overwinters as an adult. Larvae of this species are also known to be cannibalistic, feeding on other caterpillars in addition to the leaves of their host plant. Check out this amazing video showing the predatory behavior of one of these caterpillars: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=941240722582546
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 