"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
Banded Tussock Moth
Halysidota tessellaris fam. Erebidae (Hodges#8203)
Host plant(s): Three individuals found at this date and location, all found on hickory (Carya sp.)
Date(s) and location(s): 23 Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: A very common and highly polyphagous species. The attractive adults are usually found during blacklighting nights.
Saddled Prominent
Cecrita guttivitta fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#7994)
Host plant(s): Found on hickory (Carya sp.)
Date(s) and location(s): 30 Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: A highly polyphagous species, known to feed on a wide variety of woody plants across many families.
Imperial Moth
Eacles imperialis fam. Saturniidae (Hodges#7704)
Host plant(s): Found on sassafras (Sassafras albidum) and redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Date(s) and location(s): 16 Aug, 2025 – Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO; 25 Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: A wide-ranging species distributed across the Americas from Argentina to Canada.
Interrupted Dagger
Acronicta interrupta fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9237)
Host plant(s): Found on elm (Ulmus sp.)
Date(s) and location(s): 31 Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: The first of this species I have found.
Tulip Tree Beauty
Epimecis hortaria fam. Geometridae (Hodges#6599)
Host plant(s): Found on sassafras (Sassafras albidum) and pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Date(s) and location(s): 23, 25 Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: Other commonly used hosts include poplars and tulip trees.
Yellow-haired Dagger
Acronicta impleta fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9257)
Host plant: Found on red oak (Quercus sp.)
Dates and locations: 23, Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO; 06, Sep, 2026 – Babler State Park, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: Batesian mimicry, a form of mimicry wherein a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species in order to benefit from these signals’ tendency to deter their mutual predators, is common among adult moths and butterflies. However, it has been found to be rare in caterpillars. The yellow-haired dagger seems to be a rare case of this defense in caterpillars as it seems to mimic tussock moth caterpillars (Dasychira, Orgyia) in both appearance and behavior.
Georgian Prominent
Paraeschra georgica fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#7917)
Host plant: Found on red oak (Quercus sp.)
Date found: 30, Aug, 2025
Location found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: This is the first from a series of caterpillars I will be sharing from a new survey project that will document the caterpillars of Tyson Research Center.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 