"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
Red-washed Prominent
Oligocentria semirufescens fam. Notodontidae
Host plant: Not recorded
Dates found: 14, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: Kaintuck Hollow, Phelps County, MO
Notes: Typically feeds against midvein of leaves where it perfectly resembles necrotic or blightened leaf sections.
Retarded Dagger
Acronicta retardata fam. Noctuidae
Host plant: Found on boxelder (Acer negundo).
Dates found: 13, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: River’s Edge Park, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: This species has multiple broods each year and mature caterpillars can be found from May through October in Missouri.
Missed on a few target species this fall but you can never have enough Sedge Wren.
Black-blotched Prominent
Oedemasia leptinoides fam. Notodontidae
Host plant: Found on hickory (Carya sp.).
Dates found: 14, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: Kaintuck Hollow, Phelps County, MO
Notes: Recently moved from genus Schizura.
Black-blotched Prominent
Oedemasia leptinoides fam. Notodontidae
Host plant: unknown
Dates found: 24, Aug, 2024
Locations Found: Schoolcraft Prairie, Washington County, MO
Notes: Found crossing trail. Potentially pre-pupal.
Spiny Oakworm Moth
Anisota stigma fam. Saturniidae
Host plant: Found on post oak (Quercus stellata).
Dates found: 24, Aug, 2024
Locations Found: Schoolcraft Prairie, Washington County, MO
Notes: For a Saturn moth, this species is diminutive and overlooked but still quite stunning!
Savannah Sparrows have been easy to find this year.
Hitched Arches
Melanchra adjuncta fam. Noctuidae
Host plant: Found on unrecorded herbaceous plant.
Dates found: 21, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: Meramec State Park, Franklin County, MO
Notes: Both larvae and adult forms are stunning. Sarah impressively found this cat walking along trail. Its positioning and camouflage, making it look like crinkled senescing vegetation, was so effective it took me quite a while to find it even with Sarah pointing directly at it.
It’s been close to 15 years since I’ve had the opportunity to photograph one of my favorite bird species, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper. This one was photographed on August 31st at Confluence State Park. Thanks a bunch to Diane Bricmont who first pointed this out to us!
Clemens’ False Skeletonizer
Acoloithus falsarius fam. Zygaenidae
Host plant: Found on wild grape (Vitis. sp.)
Dates found: 24, Aug, 2024
Locations Found: Schoolcraft Prairie, Washington County, MO
Notes: Will also host on peppervine and Virginia creeper
Stinging Rose Caterpillar Moth
Parasa indetermina fam. Limacodidae
Host plant: Nearly any native woody plant in the area
Dates found: 17, Aug, 2024; 14, Sep, 2024
Locations Found: Kaintuck Hollow, Phelps County, MO; Schoolcraft Prairie, Washington County, MO
Notes: Stings from this species are relatively minor, reminiscent of that received from wood nettle.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 