"What a thousand acres of Silphiums looked like when they tickled the bellies of the buffalo is a question never again to be answered, and perhaps not even asked." -Aldo Leopold
These are not the photos I envisioned getting when going after the falcate orangetip (Anthocharis midea). Casey and I must have spent more than a couple of hours running around Hugh’s Mountain Natural Area, waiting for one of these gorgeous males to land at a flower to nectar. Unfortunately, this rarely happened, and when they did finally set they were up again within seconds.
A female falcate orangetip perched with abdomen raised, presumably to better release pheromones that announce her readiness to mate.
These guys were definitely not interested in feeding while we were there, instead they incessantly roamed the glades and woodland edges hunting for females. This is where I finally got a little bit of luck by finding a stationary female. She had drawn the attention of several males who were fighting for a chance to breed.
Members of the Pieridae family, the falcate orangetip’s host are members of the mustard family (Brassicaceae). The caterpillars feed mostly at night on the flower tissues of these plants.
I was happy to final start working on getting some butterfly and skipper photos in 2023. I joined the local North American Butterfly Association and really enjoyed getting out on a few of their counts. I’m still learning the diurnal moths (butterflies) and have a ways to go before I can call myself competent. Here are a few photos from the Nymphalidae family to share from 2023.
Gemmed Satyr (Cyllopsis gemma)
This gemmed satyr was an unexpected find while visiting St. Francois State Park in September. Not long ago this species was restricted to extreme southern Missouri. They now seem to be continuing a northern expansion in their range. Quite a few butterflies have eyespots that are found on different locations of their wings, presumably to make them look like much larger organisms as well as to persuade would-be predators to attack something beside the vulnerable true heads. I have recently read that some have hypothesized the spot on this species wings developed to mimic certain jumping spiders. In my photo I think this looks to be highly plausible – with the two primary eyes centered around a grey backdrop that looks very much like a jumping spider to me.
Viceroy (Limenitis archippus)
Once believed to be a pure example of Batesian mimicry in a complex with the monarch and queen butterflies, some evidence now suggests that the viceroy may be distasteful to predators, providing evidence that this is instead should be considered a case of Müllerian mimicry. This is turning out to be quite the complex case to understand, with some reports suggesting that the host plant that a particular individual viceroy was raised on determines whether or not it is distasteful. Other work has suggested that gene complexes that may differ between populations of viceroys determines distastefulness. More work is needed to determine what exactly is going on here. This photo was taken on a NABA walk ate Marais Temps Clair C.A. in September.
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Photographed at Marais Temps Clair C.A. in early October, the red admiral is a lover of nettles, feeding solely on members of the Urticaceae family.
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
Famous for its migration, the painted lady hosts on numerous species of Asteraceae.
American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)
Being strictly found in the new-world, the American lady can be distinguished from the painted lady by the number of spots on the ventral sides of the hindwings. As seen in the photo above, the American lady has two large eyespots whereas its cousin, the painted lady, has four. Photographed at Horn’s Prairie Grove LWR in July.
Despite being a pretty disappointing season for winter birds so far, due to not being much of a winter season, one saving grace has been the unprecedented appearance of a number of Short-eared Owls that have set up shop in the grasslands at Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. It seems as though every birder and photographer in the bi-state area has heard about this and show up regularly to view the spectacle.
Finding the opportunity to be there in good light with the birds cooperative has been a challenge for me over the past month or so they have been here. But, I did have some luck under less than optimal skies. Despite poor lighting and the birds being a little further away than I would like, I was able to manage a few images I can live with. I’m hoping to have a few more opportunities before the season is over.
Today I am featuring the more interesting larvae we found of the Notodontidae Family, commonly known as the prominent moths. This is a widely distributed and diverse family with close to 4,000 species described worldwide. Hosts for this family are mostly woody plants and we often find these feeding on oaks and hickories.
Variable Oakleaf Caterpillar (Lochmaeus manteo) Notodontidae, Hodges#7998 Finding a lot more than I decided to photograph, this aptly-named species feeds primarily on oaks (Quercus sp.) and is highly variable in coloration and pattern. This is a species you may get tired of finding when focusing on oaks during your searches.
Mottled Prominent (Macrurocampa marthesia) Notodontidae, Hodges#7975 We found a few of these guys this year and I find these to be very handsome little cats.
Heterocampa pulverea, Notodontidae, Hodges#7990.1 Until recently, this was a pretty large genus, containing close to 50 species. A couple of years ago, armed with molecular data, this genus was split and now contains 18 species. This one was found on a WGNSS group outing at Pickle Spring Conservation Area in early September.
Orange-banded Prominent (Litodonta hydromeli) Notodontidae, Hodges#7968 We found this guy on another WGNSS outing while looking for the bumelia borer beetle (Plinthocoelium suaveolens). We did not find our target that day but I was thrilled to find this cat that previously I did not know existed. This is another specialist that only feeds on the gum bumelia (Sideroxylon lanuginosum).
Saddled Prominent (Cecrita guttivitta) Notodontidae, Hodges#7994 This is a very common species that feeds on oaks and until recently belonged in the genus Heterocampa.
White-streaked Prominent (Ianassa lignicolor) Notodontidae, Hodges#8017 Also known as the lace-capped caterpillar, this is one of many caterpillars in this family that hide in plain sight. You will almost always find these sitting on the section of leaf they have previously eaten, using their coloration and patterns to look like a diseased or senescent portion of the leaf. These can be quite tricky to find until you get the right search engine installed in your brain.
Red-washed Prominent (Oedemasia_semirufescens) Notodontidae, Hodges#8012 Although considered fairly common, this was the first year I was finally able to find one of these outstanding cats. This species is quite polyphagous, feeding on almost any native woody plants. One of the two we found this year was feeding on pawpaw (Asimina triloba).
Datana Caterpillars (Datana sp.) Notodontidae Most notodontids are solitary. But certain groups, like these Datana are gregarious and can be found in large groups even in later instars.
Contracted Datana Caterpillars (Datana contracta)
A group of datana caterpillars (Datana sp.)
Symmerista Prominents (Symmerista sp.) Notodontidae Another gregarious taxa, the Symmerista are notoriously difficult to identify to species in both larval and adult phases.
Symmerista sp. caterpillars
White-dotted Prominent (Nadata gibbosa) Notodontidae, Hodges#7915 Perhaps the most common caterpillar we find on our hunting trips, the white-dotted prominent can be found in large numbers on oaks. We find these so often that I rarely even tell the others in the group when I find them. But here we find a common species in a not so common situation. We came across this one on its way to find its pupation spot that would likely be in the ground or leaf litter. You can tell this was the case by the reddish or maroon coloration. Many caterpillars will change to this type of coloration immediately before they begin the pre-pupal stage. Unfortunately for the caterpillar, some southern yellowjackets (Vespula squamosa) found it as well. We watched the drama unfold as the wasps continued to sting and bite at the poor creature that will not likely make it to adulthood.
We found this little one on a cat hunting trip at Horseshoe Bend Natural Area in Texas County, MO in mid September. Check out the little flies hanging around hoping to scavenge some bug juice, much like the the vultures and other scavengers that might be found around a lion’s kill.
From my count, there are at least ten members of this genus that could be found in Missouri, but I think I have got the correct identification. Please let me know if you would suggest otherwise.
On a cat hunting trip to St. Francois State Park in September, Casey and I had the great fortune of finding one of the coolest spiders in the state – the toadlike bolas spider (Mastophora phrynosoma). Females of this species are well known for their unique hunting method. By day, they sit around, often out in the open, looking very much like a bird dropping. At night, instead of building webs, they move to the edge of a leaf or twig and hang a single line of silk with one or more sticky globules attached – their “bolas” that they use to ensnare moths and other flying prey. See this great video by the BBC for a demonstration of this.
This is the second year in a row I’ve had the fortune in finding one of these girls. If I’m lucky enough next year, I’ll be sure to try my hand at catching her hunting behaviors with the camera.
Time to get into the season by sharing a brilliant spider for October. This brilliant jumping spider was photographed back in July at Horn’s Prairie Grove LWR. This is one of several jumping spiders that are believed to be mimics of the Mutillidae family of wasps, better known as “velvet ants.”
In early October of this year, while hunting for autumn migrating sparrows among the marshy grasslands at BK Leach Conservation Area, I came across this cooperative Merlin. As you can see in the photos, this bird appeared to be having the same poor luck as me at finding sparrows or any passerines whatsoever. I watched it catch and consume four dragonflies in the hour or so I sat watching from my car. They are known to prey on dragonflies and other large insects but birds make up the majority of their diet.
Another thing I found interesting in watching this bird is that it seemed to prefer sitting on the power lines although there were plenty of telephone poles and some dead snags available in the area. One of the things I’ve read about Merlins in some field guides, and have heard from my birding mentors over the years, is that when you see a small falcon perched on a wire it will almost always be a Kestrel. This is the third time I have come across Merlin sitting on wires that I can remember. But, I am sure it is still the case that they prefer more natural perches in general.
There are two subspecies of Merlin that can be found in our area during migration and winter. This bird appears to be a juvenile Taiga/Boreal (ssp. columbarius).
I got back into serious hunting of caterpillars beginning in late August of this year. On some trips, I hunted with a nice group of friends and on several others I went on solo outings. All in all, it was a lot of work and, at times, I wondered if the payoff was worth the time and effort. However, like I’ve said before, anytime spent in quality spots in the outdoors is time well spent. In this first post, I am sharing, as no surprise to those who know me well enough, images of larvae from my favorite family of Leps – the Limacodidae, otherwise known as the “slug moth” caterpillars.
Red-crossed Button Slug Moth (Tortricidia pallida) Limacodidae, Hodges#4653 By far the most abundant slug we found this season was the red-crossed button. I did not collect good enough records to put a specific number of the individuals found, but it would be close to 25.
Nason’s Slug Moth (Natada nasoni) Limacodidae, Hodges#4679 This is another one that is usually found in goodly numbers during the hunting season. We found a few, but not nearly as abundant as in most years.
Stinging Rose Caterpillar Moth (Parasa indetermina) Limacodidae, Hodges#4699 Always a pleasure to find, the stinging rose caterpillars will vary considerably in the amounts of the yellow, white, black and red colors.
Skiff Moth (Prolimacodes badia) Limacodidae, Hodges#4671 Another slug that can be quite variable in colors and patterns, the skiff moths can often be found on the tops of leaves. This is opposed to most of the cats in this family being located on the undersides of leaves. As you can see in the one pictured here, these guys are patterned to appear as easily-overlooked spots of necrosis on late-season green leaves.
Inverted Y Slug Moth (Apoda y-inversum) Limacodidae, Hodges#4667 Overall, I was a little disappointed in the numbers and diversity of slugs we found this season, however this species and the following one are not always encountered every season. I believe this is only the third cat of this species I have been able to find.
Beutenmueller’s Slug Moth (Isochaetes beutenmuelleri) Limacodidae, Hodges#4675 Until this year, I have only been able to see one caterpillar of the Beutenmueller’s slug, better known as the “spun-glass” slug. This year I found three! I’ll never get tired of seeing these.
Unknown Limacodid This mid-instar cat could potentially be one of several species. I think there is a chance it could be the – jeweled tailed slug moth (Packardia geminata), but it is most likely a yellow-shouldered slug (Lithacodes fasciola). I wish I would have thought to bring it home to rear. In the know and have a better idea on the identity of this one? Please let me know in the comments below.
Shagreened Slug Moth (Apoda biguttata) Limacodidae, Hodges#4669 In the picture below of this shagreened slug, you can see a couple of the traits that are distinctive to the Limacodidae. First, it is quite common that the slug cats will eat the leaves in a more horizontal direction, squaring off the leaves, so-to-speak. Most other caterpillars will eat circular notches in the leaves as they feed. Second, although difficult to see in this picture, is the distinctive frass the caterpillar is dropping. Limacodid frass is distinctly shaped, with one section being notched to “fit” along side the ones before and after. Interestingly, monarch (Danaus plexippus) and likely other groups also share this trait.
Hag Moth (Phobetron pithecium) Limacodidae, Hodges#4677 Either we were out too early, in general, or the hag moth cats, AKA “monkey slugs,” were later than usual. I found quite a few mid-instar monkey slugs this season but not a single late-instar. I was too lazy, or perhaps disappointed, to pull out the big rig to photograph any of these, so here is a cellphone shot. The reason I wanted to share this is to show the interesting feeding behavior of cats at this stage of their development.
Notice the wavy, white to lime-green patches on the top of this leaf? This is indicative of how this younger monkey slug is feeding. Instead of free-feeding and consuming the entire leaf, this guy is feeding like a skeletonizer or a leaf-miner, in that it is scraping the top layer of the leaf. In this photo, you can see fresh scraping areas and ones that are much older, suggesting that this cat has been living on this leaf for some time. I suppose it likely that early to mid instars of all species in this family feed in this way, but I am not usually out hunting in early to mid summer to have observed this before.
A mid-instar hag moth caterpillar, feeding by scraping off the top layer of the leaf surface. BTW, the caterpillar is in the upper left section of this photo. 😉
Black-waved Flannel Moth (Megalopyge crispata) Megalopygidae, Hodges#4644 Technically, not a Limacodidae family member, the black-waved flannel moth is in the closely related family, Megalopygidae, within the same super family (Zygaenoidea), which include not only the slugs and flannel moths, but leaf skeletonizer moths as well. We regularly find this species on our late-season outings. This year I was able to find and photograph two different stages. The earlier instars are fluffy white in appearance, while the final instars are colored in warmer browns.
Remember, these guys are not for petting. Descriptions vary, but the hairs on these have been described as highly irritating to downright dangerous, potentially requiring a hospital visit.
A mid-instar of the black-waved flannel moth (Megalopyge crispata) in its fluffy white coat.
Late instars of this species are draped in reds and browns. Some have suggested they can look like the top of a recent “president’s” head.
I believe these are all of the photos I have to share of the Limacodidae from this past season. Thanks for visiting and please let me know if you find any errors in my identifications by making comments below.
I forgot to post the following adult imperial moth from our black-lighting night this year in the previous post. As you can see, it was a worthwhile night! I photographed this species once before and they do commonly show up on black-lighting occasions, but I never get tired of them showing up! All of these images were taken at Engelmann Natural Area in Franklin County, MO.
Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis)
Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis)
This imperial moth caterpillar was found on a night cat hunt in late September.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 