macro photography – A Thousand Acres of Silphiums

2026 Caterpillar Season – Lettered Sphinx

Caterpillars of Tyson Research Center, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Lettered Sphinx
Deidamia inscriptum fam. Sphingidae
Host plant: wild grape (Vitis sp.)
Dates found: 30 May, 2026
Locations found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: The caterpillar season started much earlier than typical for me. This year, I am making a point to start hunting in spring and early summer, enabling me to pick up new species that are not found later in the season. Additionally, I am finding some of the same species that I find during late season; thus, I am learning which species have multiple broods in our area. I have not been having a lot of success in finding cats in my early season hunting, but I have been having enough success with interesting species to keep me trying.

The lettered sphinx is an early season species that I found for the first time this year. My unfamiliarity with many of the sphinx moth caterpillars caused me some frustration. I found two of these on some grapevine. Due to their small size and lack of strong pattern contrast, I assumed these were early-mid instars of a typically larger species and one that I would most likely not be able to identify with certainty. Because of this, I did not take the time and efforts in getting as good of photographs of it that I would have liked. This species is one of the smallest and earliest of all the sphingids found in Missouri, with caterpillars being found from April through July.

The behavior shown in these photos is a trait unique with this species. Upon disturbance, they throw their heads back over their bodies, exposing their mouthparts and legs to the air.

2025 Caterpillar Season – Contracted Datana

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

Contracted Datana
Datana contracta fam. Notodontidae
Host plant: Oak
Dates found: 16 September, 2025
Locations found: Not recorded
Notes: Caterpillars of the genus Datana are easily recognized. They have the same basic body plan of long hair-like setae giving them a fuzzy appearance. They are all gregarious, being found in groups of up to hundreds of individuals. When disturbed, they react by throwing their heads and posteriors upwards, forming a “U” shape.

Capturing the Beauty of Promethea Silkmoth

insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

What a treat I had recently! Chris Brown invited me over to photograph a male Promethea silkmoth (Cephalanthus occidentalis) that had just eclosed. This was one that he had reared from one of the caterpillars I shared here last year. This guy was super cooperative with us and was a pleasure to photograph. Thanks Chris!

2025 Caterpillar Season – Small Engrailed

2025 Caterpillar Season, Caterpillars of Tyson Research Center, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Small Engrailed
Ectropis crepuscularia. fam. Geometridaae
Host plant: Not recorded
Dates found: 23 August, 2025
Locations found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: This is the sole member of its genus found north of Mexico. It’s range covers the U.S. coast to coast, including parts of Alaska and much of Canada.

2025 Caterpillar Season – Baileya Moth

2025 Caterpillar Season, Caterpillars of Tyson Research Center, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, wildlife, wildlife photography

Baileya Caterpillar
Baileya sp. fam. Nolidae
Host plant: Not recorded
Dates found: 30 August, 2025
Locations found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: There are four to six Baileya species found in Missouri. Although host plant preference may help to distinguish species, physical characteristics are of little help.

WGNSS Entomology Field Trips – September/October 2025

Blacklighting, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, Orthoptera, WGNSS Field Trips, wildlife, wildlife photography

I’ve gotten to a point in a personal project that I can now spend some time posting more frequently here and processing some photos that have been backing up. Not that I have had a ton of success in getting significant photo opportunities the last several months.

The following are some photos of interesting insects that the WGNSS Entomology Group found on a couple trips to Missouri glades last year.

First up are a couple of moths found at a light trap we set up during a camp out at Caney Mountain Conservation Area in late September. The cool conditions were not conducive to attracting many moths, so the pickings were slim.

*Clemensia albata* (little white lichen moth) Fam. Erebidae

Next up is the fantastic Cicindelidia obsoleta vulturina (prairie tiger beetle). This species is primarily found in Texas, but there are scattered populations in Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

Finally, from a trip to Hughes Mountain Natural Area, we found a good number of Trimerotropis saxatilis (lichen grasshopper) Fam. Acrididae. These masters of camouflage utilize open, rocky areas like Missouri’s glade habitats.

Mating pair of *Trimerotropis saxatilis*

2025 Caterpillar Season – Plagodis Geometer

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

Plagodis Geometer Caterpillar
Plagodis sp. fam. Geometridae
Host plant: Not recorded
Dates found: 06 September, 2025
Locations found: Babler State Park, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: Plagodis larvae are well camouflaged to look like woody twigs on their host plants. Their body shape and coloration are not their only tools to use in their adaptive subterfuge. When disturbed, these twig mimics will become rigid instead of attempting to flea, often assuming this position while being handled.

2025 Caterpillar Season – Lace-capped Caterpillar

2025 Caterpillar Season, insects, Lepidoptera, macro, WGNSS Field Trips, wildlife, wildlife photography

Lace-capped Caterpillar
Ianassa lignicolor fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#017)
Host plant: Found on white oak (Quercus alba)
Dates found: 18 September, 2025
Locations found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO
Notes: A specialist, feeding only on oaks (Quercus spp.) and birches (Betula spp.).

Snail Kite!

Bird Species of Conservation Concern, birds, wildlife, wildlife photography

This post is dedicated to my friend and mentor, Godfrey Bourne. Godfrey researched Snail Kites for his Ph.D. work while at the University of Michigan. I remember listening to some of his stories and seeing photographs of this impressive bird of prey. Around 25 years later they were still high on my wish list to find and photograph. Last week, I just happened to have a work trip down to Orlando, Florida. I made sure I had time for a personal day or two and the Snail Kite was the primary species I sought out over all the impressive birds that can be found in the state.

The Snail Kite’s impressive hooked beak is the perfect tool for getting the apple snails out of their shells.

After watching some videos from a well known bird photographer on YouTube, I got the impression that this species might be difficult to find – that these birds are only found in wetlands away from developed areas that take knowledge and special equipment to reach. With my experience last week, I am beginning to think that this photographer’s motive was in selling his high-priced workshops.

At this time of the day, even in January, direct sunlight was not flattering to these birds. I waited for small clouds to block the sun in order to get a better image.

Don’t get me wrong, with a current population estimate of approximately 2,000 individuals in Florida, these are not common birds; in fact, they are listed as endangered in the United States. This is primarily due to overdevelopment of wetland habitat in the sunshine state along with mismanagement of these habitats that has led to the decline of apple snails – the Snail Kite’s only food source. Thankfully, this species has a large range across the neotropics, from Mexico and the Caribbean to Southern Brazil. The species as a whole is currently not threatened with extinction.

Being an endangered species, the Snail Kites are often banded for distribution, tracking, and research purposes.

In two close by areas, only a 30 minute drive from Orlando, I was easily able to find four Snail Kites and watched them for hours in a lake/marsh area that was heavily used by recreating people. Seeing as this is an endangered species, my intention was to give them plenty of room, but I was shocked as I watched people pass by them within just 10 feet or so without the birds seeming to care. On a couple of occasions, I sat down under a shade tree with 50-100 feet between me and the bird and was astounded when they flew closer and closer to me during their foraging. I have always said that any bird photograph taken in Florida should have an asterisk attached due to these birds being so accustomed to people. After just a couple of days experiencing this myself, I still feel this way!

A Snail Kite moving along the lake edge with a constant eye for a nice-sized apple snail.

This species numbers in Florida are highly affected by drought conditions and have varied wildly in recent decades. Changing climate patterns are not helping the Snail Kite restoration attempts and I fear for what the next decades may bring. Hopefully they will be as easy for me to find during my next visit to Florida. Thank you for reading this far and I’ll leave you with a few more photos.

-OZB

Mating Harvestmen

macro, WGNSS Field Trips, wildlife, wildlife photography

During a WGNSS Entomology Group trip in September of last year, we were thrilled to come across a mating pair of Leiobunum vittatum (eastern harvestmen) at Caney Mountain Conservation Area. In some of the photos below, you can see the male handing off his prenuptial gift to the female. Prenuptial gifts are produced by the males and consist of a mix of essential amino acids. Mating behaviors in harvestmen are complex and vary wildly between taxa. Unfortunately, these guys were among thick scrub that made for difficult photography. I tried my best to capture some of this behavior.