Promethea Silkmoths is who.
After shooting the Swamp Spreadwing at Gauco Pond I went to Branch Bridge Road hoping for dragons or damsels. But all I got was this chance to photograph Promethea Silkworm moth larvae-Callosamia promethea. This first was a little soft but I was able to reposition and get a more parallel composition of a second imdividual.
And finally a little Buttonbush chomping closeup.
All with the 5D Mark IV, 180 Macro + 2.0 doubler upon a tripod. Most of the images I saw on BugGuide showed cats with orange or red festooning at the rear so I am guessing these are late but not last instars.
Oh. The Common Buttonbush-Cephalanthus occidentalis are maturing and the flowerheads are becoming an attractive burned color.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
Of all the buttonbushes I’ve seen, I don’t remember one that had obviously gotten chomped, much less one in the midst of getting chomped.
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This was a double first for me. First sighting of this caterpillar species and first time seeing something actively eating buttonbush leaves. I shared an image of buttonbush galls (third image down), also home to mite larvae, but they don’t eat the leaves…I don’t think.
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Great find and a great photo! Thank for sharing!
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Thanks, Gail. Have you traveled down State Forest Highway yet? I was shocked. Ruined a lot of roadside mushroom habitat.
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Beautiful larva and photos of it!
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Thanks, Alessandra!
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Oh WOW. A beauty!
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It’s a very handsome larva, that’s for sure. Thanks, Flower.
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Ooh, what a find! I planted 3 little buttonbush transplants this spring, maybe I can hope for such a visitor one day?
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With some luck. Buttonbush isn’t it’s most favored food source, I don’t think. BugGuide listed several trees and then added this as an also.
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The second one is a great shot indeed 🙂
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Thanks, Rudi. I did a little better job of getting parallel. 🙂
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What a beautiful geometric design Mother nature created for you to photograph in your last picture! For the scientist among us, it looks like an atomic model of a molecule.
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I hadn’t thought of it that way but now that you mention it, Peter.
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Fabulous photographs! Your photography is a great advert for Canon… 🙂
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Thanks, Ann. I’d be tickled if they used one of my images in an ad…for the right price, of course. 😀
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Very nice series of images Steve! I enjoyed seeing them! I like the detail you get in your images!👍
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Thanks, Reed. I work at it. Sometimes it’s a near miss. 🙂
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Terrific close-ups of this pretty muncher. It’s a mixed blessing, isn’t it: plant a thing you want, then a valuable insect comes along–as it’s supposed to–and eats away, causing some “good trouble”!
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“Good Trouble”. ❤
I am never a complainer when I find a caterpillar eating one of our plants. Even our veggies. It's a good thing too because we got almost no tomatoes this year and the same for our blueberries. I don't think caterpillars were responsible but wild creatures have to eat and we can always go to a farm market. Thanks, Tina!
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Yes, the caterpillar is beautiful, but… buttonbush is a favorite. I’ve seen plenty in full bloom, and some when the red fruit turns glossy, but this is an intermediate stage I’ve never seen. It’s lovely.
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I hadn’t seen it like this before either, Linda. But that’s just timing on my part. It’s enjoyable seeing it in the various stages including those little finger puppets Steve captured. There were still some fresh ones nearby. I hope to make a few images of the fruit when the time is ripe.
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He/she can have all they need. Terrific!!
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(Not that I don’t like Buttonbush – I’ve rarely seen it but I remember seeing it on Staten Island and being fascinated!)
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There is plenty of buttonbush. I mentioned elsewhere that native species seem to have it written in their genes to preserve their food for the future so they don’t obliterate a plant when feeding. It’s a unique and cool plant.
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A very handsome caterpillar, Steve. I hope it’s not eating too much of the no less attractive buttonbush.
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There are lots of these shrubs to go around so I don’t think the three cats I saw post too much of a threat. Our natives seem to inherently know to not totally defoliate their hosts.
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I love these, especially that second one. I don’t often see these interesting caterpillars. Good stuff.
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Thanks, Todd. I was going to answer that I don’t either but the last few days I’ve seen some real good ones and will share them soon.
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