"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
Streaked Dagger Moth
Acronicta lithospila fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9266)
Host plant(s): red oak (Quercus sp.), shingle oak (Quercus imbricaria)
Date(s) and location(s): 30 Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO; 6 Sep, 2025 – Babler State Park, St. Louis County, MO; 13 Sep, 2025 – Don Robinson State Park, Jefferson County, MO
Notes: This species host primarily on Fagaceae (oaks, beech) and is stunning in both larval and adult forms.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Promethea Silkmoth
Callosamia promethea fam. Saturniidae (Hodges#7764)
Host plant: Found on buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Date found: Sep, 2025
Location found: St. Louis County, MO
Notes: One of my notable “finds” of the season for me. This was my first look and photographs of this magnificent silkmoth species. Many thanks to Harit Kaur Bal who originally found a group of these caterpillars and to Chris Brown for inviting me over to photograph a couple of these beasts that he collected for rearing.
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.
Euclea delphinii (spiney oak slug moth)
Isochaetes beutenmuelleri (Beutenmueller’s slug moth/spun glass slug moth)
Parasa chloris (smaller parasa)
Parasa indetermina (stinging rose moth)
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 