"What a thousand acres of Silphiums looked like when they tickled the bellies of the buffalo is a question never again to be answered, and perhaps not even asked." -Aldo Leopold
Waved Sphinx
Ceratomia undulosa fam. Sphingidae (Hodges#7787)
Host plant(s): Found on hickory (Carya sp.)
Date(s) and location(s): 31 August, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: This is one of those perplexing situations. Wagner and most other authorities suggest this species hosts solely on ash (Fraxinus), but I found this guy actively feeding on a mid-sized hickory during an evening hunt.
Milkweed Tussock Moth
Euchaetes egle fam. Erebidae (Hodges#8238)
Host plant(s): Found on dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum)
Date(s) and location(s): 30 August, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
During a caterpillar hunt in mid-September at Don Robinson State Park, I came across a redbud leaf with a number of mummified Oedemasia concinna (red-humped caterpillar moth) caterpillars. These cats all appeared to be dead and were wrapped in what looks like their own silk. After close inspection, I could not find any exit holes that the potential parasitoid would have made. So, I collected the leaf and the baker’s dozen of these hosts and took them home to hopefully rear the parasitoids.
About three days later I checked the container that held these guys. To my surprise every single parasitoid had emerged from their hosts. In this case, the natural enemy is the Ichneumonid parasitoid, Hyposoter fugitivus. In the following images you can see the tiny wasps that have emerged from the even tinier caterpillars.
Here are some closeups of the wasps.
Finally, a photo of the gorgeous caterpillar they may have become if not for these natural enemies…
Skiff Moth
Prolimacodes badia fam. Limacodidae (Hodges#4671)
Host plant(s): Found on chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)
Date(s) and location(s): 31 August, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: This poor cat is host to a tachinid fly larvae. A closeup image is included showing the egg as well as the larvae that has pierced the skin of the caterpillar in order to breath.
Oblique Heterocampa
Heterocampa obliqua fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#7983)
Host plant(s): Found on chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)
Date(s) and location(s): 13 September, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: An oak specialist.
Harvey’s Prominent
Litodonta hydromeli fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#7968)
Host plant(s): Found on gum bumelia (Sideroxylon lanuginosum)
Date(s) and location(s): 30 August, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County
Notes: Found primarily in Texas and Oklahoma, this species northeastern range limit appears to be the St. Louis area.
Delicate Cycnia Moth
Cycnia tenera fam. Erebidae (Hodges#8230)
Host plant(s): Found on dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum)
Date(s) and location(s): 30 August, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County
Notes: This species is a specialist on dogbane and milkweed (Apocynaceae). Adult moths have been observed to produce clicking sounds during flight in response to receiving echolocation signals from bats. It has been shown that these clicking responses led to a lower rate of predation from bats. This may be due to an aposematic warning signal due to the accumulation of cardenolides and cardiac glycoside from their larval host plants, or the clicking noise response may be interfering with the bats echolocation during the hunt.
Crowned Slug Moth
Isa textula fam. Limacodidae (Hodges#4681)
Host plant(s): Found on sassafras, northern red oak, redbud
Date(s) and location(s): 31 August, 19-September, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO; 27 September, 2025 – Caney Mountain Conservation Area, Ozark County, MO
Notes: By far the most numerous Limacodid I found in 2025.
Wavy-lined Prominent
Cecrita biundata fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#7995)
Host plant(s): not recorded
Date(s) and location(s): 30 August, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: Click here to view adult of this species
Giant Leopard Moth
Hypercompe scribonia fam. Erebidae (Hodges#8146)
Host plant(s): younger instar – white vervain (Verbena urticifolia); final instar – wandering
Date(s) and location(s): 30 August, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO; 27 September, 2025 – Caney Mountain Conservation Area, Ozark County, MO
Notes: This spiney species contains no venom. Other than some minor prickling, these can be handled without worry. This is a highly polyphagous species, feeding on several families of woody plants and forbs. Caterpillars of this species overwinter and will pupate the following spring.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 
