Category: 2024 Caterpillar Season

2024 Caterpillar Season – Shagreened Slug Moth

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Shagreened Slug Moth
Apoda biguttata fam. Limacodidae
Host plant: Found on white oak (Quercus alba)
Date found: 21, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: Onondaga State Park, Crawford County, MO
Notes: Named for its resemblance to the bumpy texture of shagreen rawhide.

Shagreened Slug Moth
Apoda biguttata fam. Limacodidae
Host plant: Found on red oak species (Quercus sp.)
Date found: 5, Oct, 2024
Locations Found: Daniel Boone Conservation Area, Warren County, MO
Notes: Careful examination is needed to distinguish caterpillars of Apoda biguttata, A. y-inversum, and Lithacodes fasciola.

2024 Caterpillar Season – Red-fringed Emerald

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Red-fringed Emerald
Nemoria bistriaria fam. Geometridae
Host plant: Found on white oak (Quercus alba)
Date found: 7, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: Kaintuck Hollow, Phelps County, MO
Notes: Although some reports suggest other host plants are used, it is likely that this species specializes on white oak.

2024 Caterpillar Season – Small Necklace

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Small Necklace Moth
Hypsoropha hormos fam. Erebidae
Host plant: Found on persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
Date found: 3, Aug, 2024
Locations Found: Cuivre River State Park, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: Described by one of the fathers of entomology, German lepidopterist, Jacob Hübner.

2024 Caterpillar Season – Virginia Creeper Sphinx Moth

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Virginia Creeper Sphinx Moth
Darapsa myron fam. Sphingidae
Host plant: Found on wild grape (Vitis sp.)
Date found: 13, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: River’s Edge Park, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: Other common name is hog sphinx.

2024 Caterpillar Season – Lace-capped Caterpillar

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Lace-capped Caterpillar
Ianassa lignicolor fam. Notodontidae
Host plant: Oaks and other Fagaceae members
Date found: 21, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: Onondaga Cave State Park, Crawford County, MO
Notes: Adult moth is named white-streaked prominent.

Ianassa lignicolor
Characteristic head mottling of Ianassa lignicolor head capsule

2024 Caterpillar Season – Nason’s Slug Moth

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Nason’s Slug Moth
Natada nasoni fam. Limacodidae
Host plant: Found on oak (Quercus sp.)
Date found: 07, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: Kaintuck Hollow, Phelps County, MO
Notes: Named after William Abbott Nason, American entomologist (1841-1914).

2024 Caterpillar Season – Variable Oakleaf Caterpillar

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

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.

2024 Caterpillar Season – White-dotted Prominent

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

White-dotted Prominent
Nadata gibbosa fam. Notodontidae
Host plant: Found on white oak (Quercus alba)
Date found: 02, Sep, 2024
Location Found: Hawn State Park, Ste. Genevieve County, MO
Notes: One of the most common finds while searching oak trees.

2024 Caterpillar Season – Monkey Slug

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Monkey Slug Moth (Hag Moth)
Phobetron pithecium fam. Limacodidae
Host plant: Found on oak (Quercus sp)
Date found: 02, Sep, 2024
Location Found: Hickory Canyon Natural Area, Ste. Genevieve County, MO
Notes: One theory to explain their appearance is that they evolved to mimic the shed exoskeletons of tarantulas.

2024 Caterpillar Season – Maple Spanworm

2024 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Maple Spanworm
Ennomos magnaria fam. Geometridae
Host plant: Found on ash (Fraxinus sp)
Date found: 02, Sep, 2024
Location Found: Hickory Canyon Natural Area, Ste. Genevieve County, MO
Notes: While caterpillars of this species are perfect twig mimics, the adults of this species look amazingly like autumn-turned maple leaves.