"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
Harvey’s Prominent
Litodonta hydromeli fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#7968)
Host plant(s): Found on gum bumelia (Sideroxylon lanuginosum)
Date(s) and location(s): 30 August, 2025 – Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County
Notes: Found primarily in Texas and Oklahoma, this species northeastern range limit appears to be the St. Louis area.
Harvey’s Prominent Moth
Litodonta hydromeli fam. Notodontidae
Host plant: Found on gum bumelia (Sideroxylon lanuginosum)
Date found: 24, Aug, 2024
Location Found: Washington State Park, Washington County, MO
Notes: Beating Sideroxylon lanuginosum trees within the glades of Washington SP proved fruitful in finding several of these fascinating caterpillars. Using Weller, 1987 these can be identified as a third instar and fifth instar larvae. Last year we found a forth instar of this species.
Third instar Litodonta hydromeli.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 