Tag: Johnson’s Shut-ins State Park

2025 Caterpillar Season – Viceroy

2025 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Viceroy
Limenitis archippus fam. Nymphalidae (Hodges#4523)
Host plant(s): Found on willow (Salix sp.)
Date(s) and location(s): 15 September, 2025 – Creve Coeur Lake Park, St. Louis County, MO; 16 September, 2025 – Johnson’s Shut-ins State Park, Reynolds County, MO
Notes: This species is visually similar to another bird dropping mimic, the closely related red-spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis). Although phenotypic characteristics can be used to verify, host plants should be the primary resource used. In Missouri, the viceroy will almost always be found on willow, while the red-spotted purple is most likely to be the caterpillar on black cherry.

2025 Caterpillar Season – Sigmoid Prominent

2025 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

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.