The Betrothed
Catocala innubens (Guenée, 1852) P-no. 930761, fam. Erebidae
Host plant: honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)
Dates found: 6 June, 2026
Locations found: Tyson Research Center, St. Louis County, MO
Notes: With more than 60 species documented in Missouri, the Catocala are common moths in our state. Despite this fact, this was my first time finding a caterpillar in this genus. Special efforts are needed to find them. They are strictly nocturnal feeders, spending the daylight hours hidden in bark crevices or even climbing all the way down their host tree’s trunk to spend the day in the leaf litter or in nearby herbaceous vegetation. Early instars can be found by beating tree limbs. Later instars can be found by searching at night. A more advanced technique involves using burlap “traps” wrapped around tree trunks. When the caterpillars move up or down, they may stay in the burlap flaps allowing you to check for them during the day. C. innubens is a specialist on honey locust.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 