Grab Bag of August Leps

Butterfly and caterpillar pictures have been piling up on my SD card, waiting to be identified. I believe that the next three photos are of a Tawny Emperor (Astrocampa clyton). There doesn't seem to be too much of difference between this and the Hackberry Butterfly (Astrocampa celtis). Both are supposed to be common, with the Hackberry being more common. These guys seemed to lack the two basal spots in the discal cell, so I guess they are Tawny Emperors.

I guess this one is just a darker Tawny Emperor.


These butterflies were photographed in Clark County, Indiana along the Ohio River, near George Rogers Clark's cabin.

Another example of a food plant making caterpillar identification easy, this is a Catalpa Sphinx (Ceratomia catalpae) munching on a Catalpa in Jennings County, Indiana.


I see them everywhere, but I haven't gotten a chance to photograph Common Sulphurs (Colias philodice philodice) before. This butterfly was on a wingstem flower in Clark County, Indiana.


Northern Pearly Eyes (Enodia anthedon) were flitting through the floodplain woods in Clark County, Indiana. They kept disappearing before I could get a good look. This pair landed on a vine long enough to get a picture.




A Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) paused as it was passing through an emergent wetland in Sullivan County, Indiana.

American Snout (Libytheana carienta) on a Pokeweed inflorescence in Clark County, Indiana. This is the second one I have seen this summer. I love their 'nose'.


I think this is a Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba), an introduced cutworm. I found him on a split on a tomato. Joy was happy she did not cut through the tomato and the caterpillar in one slice.


Another caterpillar from the garden, I think this is a Yellow Bear, aka Virginian Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica). These are exceedingly variable, from black, orange, yellow, beige, to white. I found him eating on our basil.


This little skipper landed on my finger and stayed there for a couple minutes while I was working in Clark County, Indiana. I have no idea what he is, but up close he was very cute.

Update (09/04/10)

Megan McCarty suggests that the skipper is a Northern Broken-Dash (Wallengrenia egeremet).

For those of you who have made it this far, here is a caterpillar quiz. I haven't been able to figure out this caterpillar yet. He was on Wingstem in a floodplain in Sullivan County, Indiana. Any help would be appreciated.

Update (09/14/2010)

Janet Creamer of Indy Parks Nature Blog submitted the identity of Melanchra adjuncta, Hitched Arches. Looks pretty close on Bug Guide. Thanks, Janet!