The American snout (Libytheana carinenta) of the Nymphalidae family was a new yard butterfly this year.
American Snout
Tag: missouri
2024 Caterpillar Season – Paddle Caterpillar
I’m pleased to say I found a “holy grail” caterpillar species this year. Unfortunately, at the time, I did not know what I had found. On July 13th, while searching right off a parking lot at Huzzah Conservation Area in Crawford County, MO, I found this smallish bird poop mimic caterpillar. I knew I had seen this one in photos before, but on this day I had left my field guides at home and I was in an area with absolutely no cell phone coverage.
After getting back home, I identified this as a member of the Noctuidae family – Acronicta funeralis, aka the paddle caterpillar. It gets its common name from the paired paddlelike subdorsal setae that are present on the final instar of the caterpillar. I really wish I had known what I had found at the time. I would have brought this guy home to rear in order to get photos of the final instar of this cat. This species is rare enough that it might be the one and only that I find, but I think if I try hard enough, others will come in time.
2024 Caterpillar Season – Double-humped Pococera Moth
Today’s cat is in the Pyralidae family. It is most likely Pococera expandens (double-humped pococera moth), but with at least 27 species in this genus and many of which that feed on oak, upon which this one was found, other species could be an option. This guy was photographed in early July during a WGNSS Nature Photography field trip at Prairie Garden Trust in Calloway County, MO.
2024 Caterpillar Season – Pink-striped Oakworm Moth
Today’s caterpillar is an interesting Saturniid – Anisota virginiensis (pink-striped oakworm moth). The stunning adults of this species are diurnal flyers and like most members of the family, do not feed. This individual was found on Quercus stellata (post oak) in late June of this year at Young Conservation Area.
2024 Caterpillar Season – Tawny Emperor
I posted about the hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis) caterpillar last month. Today’s cat is also found on hackberry (Celtis sp.) trees, but are far less common. Here is the tawny emperor (A. clyton) photographed at Shaw Nature Reserve in July.
2024 Caterpillar Season – Pipevine Swallowtail
In late June I went out for an evening caterpillar hunt at Young Conservation Area. I was in for a real treat. The pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) caterpillars were on the move! Along with several dozen smaller instars munching away on the pipevine draped above my head along the trail, I also encountered close to two dozen final instar cats that were in various states. I found quite a few crossing the trails, some that were prepupal and also a few chrysalises that were attached to various plant species ranging from one to a few feet above the ground.
Blacklighting at Engelmann Woods Natural Area
Friends and I had a couple of really fun blacklighting sessions at Engelmann Woods Natural Area in June and July. Neither evening was as great as it could be but each was definitely worth the time and mosquito bites. Here are just a few of the fascinating arthropods that came to visit.
Slug moths (Family Limacodidae) are often the first to arrive at the sheets. We found a couple of adults and I was quite surprised to find a pretty late-stage purple crested slug (Adoneta spinuloides) larvae in late June. Typically, any slug moth cats are very small if you can find any at all in early summer.
We had very nice diversity in underwing moths (Eribidae Catocala sp.). I believe we had identified six different species over the two nights. Here are a few of these.
Catocala insolabilis (inconsolable underwing)
Here are a few fine examples of the species rich Noctuidae Family.
A couple of fuzzy and beautiful Notodontidae.
We had only a single sphinx moth that would settle down for some photo opportunities. This is the common but still interesting Virginia creeper sphinx (Darapsa myron).
Probably my favorite find from these two nights was this Euerythra phasma (red-tailed specter) in the Family Erebidae.
Of course, it really isn’t a blacklighting night without at least a couple of Saturniids. One of the highlights of our July night was having five imperial moths (Eacles imperialis) all show up at once shortly after I fired up the big metal halide bulb.
I’ll wrap up the moths with a couple of colorful little one.
Of course we find other types of insects that are drawn to our lights, including these three species of Cerambycid beetles.
Thankfully this stag beetle wasn’t too serious about biting us.
We found three species of mantid flies (Mantispidae). Unfortunately, I neglected to photograph the rarest of these.
This wraps up most of the first couple of blacklighting sessions of the season. I hope to get a few more in before the season is over. Thanks for visiting.
American Copper
How about an adult Lep today. I’ve shared images before of the bronze copper (Lycaena hyllus), a larger and arguably more attractive Lycaenid in the same genus as today’s featured butterfly. The American copper (Lycaena phlaeas #4251) is seemingly harder to find in Missouri. In early June, Casey led the WGNSS Nature Photography Group to a known patch in Green County where we were lucky enough to find a few.
American copper is a rather unfortunate name for Lycaena phlaeas. Among the most widespread of any butterfly species, it is found across central and northern North America as well as across Eurasia and in mountainous regions in northern Africa.
Caterpillars of the 2024 Season – Variegated Midget
Today’s cat is the variegated midget (Elaphria versicolor #9678) in the Noctuidae Family. This species seems to be very polyphagous. Most literature suggests they prefer conifers but many have been found on deciduous perennials and even forb species. They also appear to be somewhat carnivorous, with reports of eating other caterpillars. The individual pictured here was found during July feeding on greenbrier (Smilax sp.) at Huzzah Conservation Area in Crawford County, MO.
Caterpillars of the 2024 Season – Tephra Tussock Moth
Today’s cat is the tephra tussock moth (Dasychira tephra) in the Family Erebidae. This one was found feeding on hickory (Carya sp.) in July at Meramec State Park in Franklin County, MO. This guys has somehow lost the long dorsal lash on the eighth abdominal segment – a feature that is key in identification. All other characteristics seem to match. This species seems to prefer oaks but can be found on a variety of deciduous woody species. Members of Dasychira exhibit variable patterns and coloration and seem to vary geographically.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 
