"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
Hickory Horned Devil
Citheronia regalis fam. Saturniidae (Hodges#7706)
Host plant(s): Found on black walnut (Juglans nigra)
Date(s) and location(s): 07 Sep, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: Another longtime target species that I was able to find this year, this penultimate instar of this fantastic creature was located on the single reachable branch of a large black walnut. The adults of this species are known as royal walnut moths and regal moths.
Asimina Webworm Moth
Clostera albosigma fam. Pyralidae (Hodges#5627)
Host plant(s): Found on pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
Date(s) and location(s): 25 Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: This species builds leaf shelters typically found at the ends of pawpaw branches. Leaf shelters typically harbor multiple caterpillars that are attractive once removed.
Sigmoid Prominent
Clostera albosigma fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#7895)
Host plant(s): Found on willow (Salix sp.)
Date(s) and location(s): 16 Sep, 2025 – Johnson’s Shut-ins State Park, Reynolds County, MO
Notes: The first of this species’ caterpillar I have seen, Pete and I found this while doing some beating on willows. This species also hosts on poplar. The sigmoid prominent can be found over most of the U.S. and Canada, but is most concentrated in the Northeastern and upper Midwest regions. At first glance, this individual looks pretty plain, but on closer inspection the colors and patterns are downright striking. From other photos I have seen, these caterpillars are quite variable in appearance.
Nason’s Slug Moth
Natada nasoni fam. Limacodidae (Hodges#4679)
Host plant(s): northern red oak (Quercus rubra), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), white oak (Quercus alba)
Date(s) and location(s): 23, 31 Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: West of the Mississippi River, this species is rarely found north of the Missouri River.
Spun Glass Slug Moth
Isochaetes beutenmuelleri fam. Limacodidae (Hodges#4675)
Host plant(s): northern red oak (Quercus rubra)
Date(s) and location(s): 23 Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: The feathery appendages of this slug moth caterpillar do not contain urticating spines and do not sting. These dense and soft setae may act as a deterrence to potential wasp and fly parasitoids in blocking easy access to the body of the caterpillar in placing or injecting eggs.
Gray Furcula Moth
Furcula cinerea fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#7937)
Host plant(s): willow (Salix sp.)
Date(s) and location(s): 15 Sep, 2025 – Creve Coeur Lake Park, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: The specific name, cinerea, is from the Latin “cinereus” (ashy), referring to the gray color of the forewings of the adult.
Ruddy Dagger Moth
Acronicta rubricoma fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9199)
Host plant(s): hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
Date(s) and location(s): 07 Sep, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: Also known to host on elm and sumac.
Shagreened Slug Moth
Apoda biguttata fam. Limacodidae (Hodges#4669)
Host plant(s): pin oak (Quercus palustris), red oak (Quercus sp.)
Date(s) and location(s): 31 Aug, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO; 19 Sep, 2025 – Don Robinson State Park, Jefferson County, MO
Notes: Like most of the limacodids seem to be, this species can be found in a wide variety of habitats and utilize nearly any native woody plant for hosts.
The Laugher
Charadra deridens fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9189)
Host plant(s): chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)
Date(s) and location(s): 13 Sep, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: My first find of a caterpillar of this species.
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.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 