Category: 2026 Caterpillar Season

2026 Caterpillar Season – Grote’s Sallow

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

Grote’s Sallow
Copivaleria grotei (Morrison, 1874) P-no. 931557, fam. Noctuidae
Host plant: green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
Dates found: 2 May, 2026
Locations found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: Copivaleria grotei is classified within a monotypic genus, meaning it is the sole member found in the genus Copivaleria. But it is not alone among many lepidopterans that specialize on ash trees or use ash trees as one of their preferred hosts. These species are at risk in Missouri due to the destruction of millions of ash trees by the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis).

2026 Caterpillar Season – Eastern Tailed-blue

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

Eastern tailed-blue
Cupido comyntas (Godart, 1824) P-no. 77a0638, fam. Lycaenidae
Host plant: Found on wild indigo (Baptisia sp.)
Dates found: 20 June, 2026
Locations found: Victoria Glade Conservation Area, Jefferson County, MO
Notes: A tiny, beautiful, and common butterfly that is often seen in suburban backyards, the eastern tailed-blue (ETB for short) is not a caterpillar that I have had luck in finding. Finally, on an outing with the WGNSS’ Nature Photography Group in June, I found one of these on a wild indigo plant within the glade. I never expected a lycaenid caterpillar to be such a challenging photo subject. This guy was healthy and mobile, rarely settling down to get the desired photo.

2026 Caterpillar Season – Double-toothed Prominent

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

Double-toothed Prominent
Nerice bidentata (Walker, 1855) P-no. 930018, fam. Notodontidae
Host plant: Found on white oak (Quercus alba)
Dates found: 24 May, 2026
Locations found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: A master of camouflage. The double-toothed dorsal keel and the oblique subdorsal lines matching the leaf veins do a great job in blending into the leaf on which they feed and breaking up the form of a caterpillar.

2026 Caterpillar Season – Ashen Pinion

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

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

2026 Caterpillar Season – Juniper Hairstreak

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

Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus (Hübner, 1809) P-no. 77a0507, fam. Lycaenidae
Host plant: eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
Dates found: 9, 24 May, 2026
Locations found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: A master of camouflage. As the photos show, it would be a waste of time hunting for this species by eye amongst the countless branches of an eastern red cedar. Instead, using beating techniques or UV light at night are the best methods for finding these guys.

2026 Caterpillar Season – Banded Hairstreak

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

Banded Hairstreak
Satyrium calanus fam. Lycaenidae
Host plant: hickory (Carya sp.)
Dates found: 2 May, 2026
Locations found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: This was an interesting find. I looked through a number of fresh leaf-roll shelters, finding all of them occupied by a to be identified noctuid caterpillar. In one of these I also found this banded hairstreak caterpillar that was being attended by ants.