Tag: WGNSS

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.

First look at mating eastern harvestmen. Smaller male at back/left.
A closer look shows what I presume to be a prenuptial gift being handed off to the female at front/right.
Another look at mating embrace of Leiobunum vittatum (eastern harvestmen).

2025 Caterpillar Season – Humped Oakworm

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

Humped Oakworm Moth
Symmerista sp. fam. Notodontidae
Host plant(s): Found on oak (Quercus sp.)
Date(s) and location(s): 18 September, 2025 – Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO; 27-September, 2025 – Caney Mountain Conservation Area, Ozark County, MO
Notes: Caterpillars of S. canicosta (red-humped oakworm) and S. albifrons (white-headed prominent) are indistinguishable as larvae and are so similar as adults that the only way to distinguish the two is by dissecting the genitalia. Both species are found in Missouri and both feed on the same host plants – beech, chestnut and oaks (any members of the Fagaceae).

Council Bluff Lake Lepidopterans – The Adults

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

Going back to the August 16th WGNSS trip to Council Bluff Lake. After a day (and night) of caterpillar hunting, a couple of us set up light stations to attract nocturnal insects. Here are a few of the moths that I photographed from this evening.

Erebidae

Allotria elonympha (false underwing Hodges#8721)

Geometridae

Euchlaena amoenaria (deep yellow euchlaena, Hodges#6733)

Noctuidae

Acronicta immodica (medium oak dagger. Hodges#9242.1)
Acronicta lobeliae (greater oak dagger, Hodges#9238)

Click here to see photos of the greater oak dagger caterpillar

Chytonix palliatricula (cloaked marvel, Hodges#9556)
Polygrammate hebraeicum (The Hebrew, Hodges#9285)

Click here to see photos of the Hebrew caterpillar

Acronicta funeralis (funerary dagger/paddle caterpillar, Hodges#9221)

Click here to see photos of the paddle caterpillar (final instar)
Click here to see photos of the paddle caterpillar (mid-instar)

Notodontidae

Cecrita biundata (wavy-lined prominent, Hodges#7995)
Furcula borealis (white furcula, Hodges#7936)

Saturniidae

Antheraea polyphemus (polyphemus moth, Hodges#7757)

Click here to see a photo of the caterpillar of the polyphemus moth caterpillar

Sphingidae

Darapsa myron (Virginia creeper sphinx, Hodges#7885)

Click here to see a photo of the Virginia creeper sphinx moth caterpillar

2025 Caterpillar Season – Tufted Bird Dropping Moth

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

Tufted Bird Dropping Moth
Cerma cerintha fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9062)
Host plant: Host plant not recorded but species is known to feed on Rosaceae Family members
Date found: 16, Aug,, 2025
Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO
Notes: As should be obvious by the common name, the adults of this moth are bird dropping mimics. These caterpillars tunnel into soft wood at the end of the season where they overwinter as a pupa.

2025 Caterpillar Season – Red-washed Prominent

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

Red-washed Prominent
Oligocentria semirufescens fam. Notodontidae (Hodges#8012)
Host plant: Found on redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Date found: 16, Aug, 2025
Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO
Notes: This was found during the WGNSS joint Entomology and Nature Photography Groups’ outing to Council Bluff Lake.

2025 Caterpillar Season – Cherry Dagger

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

Cherry Dagger
Acronicta hasta fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9229)
Host plant: Two individuals at different instars were found at this location and date – both on black cherry (Prunus serotina)
Date found: 16, Aug, 2025
Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO
Notes: This was found during the WGNSS joint Entomology and Nature Photography Groups’ outing to Council Bluff Lake.

2025 Caterpillar Season – Imperial Moth

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

Imperial Moth
Eacles imperialis fam. Saturniidae (Hodges#7704)
Host plant: Three individuals found at this date and location: 2-redbud (Cercis canadensis), 1-sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
Date found: 16, Aug, 2025
Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO
Notes: This was found during the WGNSS joint Entomology and Nature Photography Groups’ outing to Council Bluff Lake.

2025 Caterpillar Season – The Hebrew

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

The Hebrew
Polygrammate hebraeicum fam. Noctuidae (Hodges#9285)
Host plant: black gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
Date found: 16, Aug, 2025
Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO
Notes: Common and specific names come from apparent resemblance of adult moth’s pattern to Hebrew characters. This was found during the WGNSS joint Entomology and Nature Photography Groups’ outing to Council Bluff Lake.

2025 Caterpillar Season – Question Mark

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

Question Mark
Polygonia interrogationis fam. Nymphalidae (Hodges#4420)
Host plant: NA
Date found: 16, Aug, 2025
Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO
Notes: Two individuals found at this date and location. One was found on sassafras and the other on redbud. Typical hostplants include elm and hackberry. One individual pupated in contained overnight, further suggesting that both were pre-pupal and collected on plants during wandering. This was found during the WGNSS joint Entomology and Nature Photography Groups’ outing to Council Bluff Lake.

2025 Caterpillar Season – Pandora Sphinx

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

Pandora Sphinx
Eumorpha pandorus fam. Sphingidae (Hodges#7859)
Host plant: Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Date found: 16, Aug, 2025
Location found: Council Bluff Lake, Iron County, MO
Notes: During its final instar, this sphinx caterpillar loses its horn and is replaced with a button (not pictured). This was found during the WGNSS joint Entomology and Nature Photography Groups’ outing to Council Bluff Lake.