"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
Humped Oakworm Moth Symmerista sp. fam. Notodontidae Host plant(s): Found on oak (Quercus sp.) Date(s) and location(s): 18 September, 2025 – Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO; 27-September, 2025 – Caney Mountain Conservation Area, Ozark County, MO Notes: Caterpillars of S. canicosta (red-humped oakworm) and S. albifrons (white-headed prominent) are indistinguishable as larvae and are so similar as adults that the only way to distinguish the two is by dissecting the genitalia. Both species are found in Missouri and both feed on the same host plants – beech, chestnut and oaks (any members of the Fagaceae).
The Webster Groves Nature Study Society’s (WGNSS) Nature Photography Group headed to the LaRue Pine Hills in mid-October to visit the famous LaRue Rd, better known as the “Snake Road.” Our targets for the day were snakes, of course, along with any other herps that we could be fortunate enough to find. Unsurprisingly, the snake of the day was the cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus), of which we found close to 15 individuals. We found several different frog species and a real good number of cave salamanders (Eurycea lucifuga).
Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus)
Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)
Green Tree Frog (Dryophytes cinereus)
Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga)
Cave Salamanders (Eurycea lucifuga)
A short ways from the main road, we came across a small grotto. Looking closely with a light, I was able to find at least five cave salamanders resting on different shelves. After about 15 minutes on my knees, working out how to best light and photograph these guys, I finally focused my attention towards the back end of this small cave. There I noticed a medium-sized cottonmouth with its head raised that was apparently watching me the entire time, about a foot or so behind the salamanders.
Cave Salamanders and an unexpected guest. Can you find the cottonmouth?
We were joined by our friend, Stacia Novy, on this trip, who provided an unexpected treat! She brought along her two Aplomado Falcons that we had an opportunity to photograph, pet, and watch eat. Unfortunately, strong winds and a few soaring Bald Eagles that would not leave the area limited the amount of flight time the birds had, but we really appreciated the opportunity.
A couple photos of Stacia with her bird
Afterwards, the group headed to one of my favorite breweries – Scratch in Ava Illinois. Stacia brough one of the Falcons to the outside location and we had a most unique partner to go along with our wood-fired pizzas and beer.
Going back to the August 16th WGNSS trip to Council Bluff Lake. After a day (and night) of caterpillar hunting, a couple of us set up light stations to attract nocturnal insects. Here are a few of the moths that I photographed from this evening.
Spotted Phosphila Phosphila miselioides fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9619) Host plant: Found on greenbrier (Smilax sp.) Date found: 16, Aug, 2025 Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO Notes: Two species of Phosphila can be found in Missouri. This was found during the WGNSS joint Entomology and Nature Photography Groups’ outing to Council Bluff Lake.
Double-toothed Prominent Nerice bidentata fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#7929) Host plant: Found on elm (Ulmus sp.) Date found: 16, Aug,, 2025 Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO Notes: Also known as the stegosaurus, this species is an elm specialist. This was found during the WGNSS joint Entomology and Nature Photography Groups’ outing to Council Bluff Lake.
Back in early June of this year, the WGNSS Nature Photography Group travelled east to Pyramid State Recreation Area in Perry County, Illinois. Here we met with Stacia Novy, a wildlife biologist working with Southern Illinois University. Stacia’s goals are to find and identify grassland bird species nests, collect morphometric, embryonic and maturation data on eggs and nestlings, and to document fledging and depredation rates. Stacia is a true professional and she took care in how we approached nests and got our photographs. She finds dozens of nests each year and collects important data used for conservation and habitat management decisions.
Stacia Novy (on ladder) collecting data on eggs and nestlings
Approximately 60% of all of North America’s grasslands have been destroyed due to agriculture and other development purposes. Unsurprisingly, grassland species in general are the most at risk birds from this loss of habitat. The numbers of these obligate grassland species have declined by 40% since 1970.
An egg buoyancy/density test is performed to determine egg age and potential viability
Due to high incidence of predation, grassland bird species must be quite careful about where and how they place their nests. Stacia showed us the types of vegetation different species like to use and how they attempt to camouflage their nests. It takes a lot of work and diligence to find these nests and we appreciated Stacia sharing some of these with us.
Stacia measures eggs
Here are some of the photos I took with my cellphone of some of the species we were fortunate to be able to see.
A Brown Thrasher parent staying on the nest until the last minute
Inside the Brown Thrasher nest
A Gray Catbird’s nest
Another Gray Catbird nest we found this day with newly hatched chicks
Beautiful eggs inside a Redwing Blackbird nest
The even more startingly-blue eggs of the Dickcissel
The same Dickcissel nest days later. Photo by Stacia Novy.
The nest of one of my top five favorite birds – the Bell’s Vireo
Bell’s Vireo eggs
The same Bell’s Vireo nest days later. Photo by Stacia Novy.
Tufted Bird Dropping Moth Cerma cerintha fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9062) Host plant: Host plant not recorded but species is known to feed on Rosaceae Family members Date found: 16, Aug,, 2025 Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO Notes: As should be obvious by the common name, the adults of this moth are bird dropping mimics. These caterpillars tunnel into soft wood at the end of the season where they overwinter as a pupa.
The following images were taken of a band of travelling slug moth caterpillars during our overnight WGNSS trip to Council Bluff Lake in mid-August of this year. Many thanks to Eva Weideman who collected these from her home hunting grounds in Franklin County, MO and brought them for us to observe and photograph.
Red-washed Prominent Oligocentria semirufescens fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#8012) Host plant: Found on redbud (Cercis canadensis) Date found: 16, Aug, 2025 Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO Notes: This was found during the WGNSS joint Entomology and Nature Photography Groups’ outing to Council Bluff Lake.
Cherry Dagger Acronicta hasta fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9229) Host plant: Two individuals at different instars were found at this location and date – both on black cherry (Prunus serotina) Date found: 16, Aug, 2025 Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO Notes: This was found during the WGNSS joint Entomology and Nature Photography Groups’ outing to Council Bluff Lake.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 
