Goldenrod Stowaway & Gold Moth
Goldenrod Stowaway moth, found September 8, 2019, at Siebenthaler Fen. Goldenrod Stowaway moths use plants in the Bidens genus as host plants. These moths can be found on other yellow flowers, like goldenrod, during the daytime.
Another Goldenrod Stowaway moth, found September 4, 2021 at Cox Arboretum. You would never notice this moth unless you were looking for it. The moth blends in perfectly with the flower petals.
Close-up of a Goldenrod Stowaway moth at Cox Arboretum.
Two Goldenrod Stowaway moths sharing a single blossom. Photographed September 4, 2022, at Cox Arboretum.
Gold Moth, an absolutely gorgeous moth. I have found a couple of these moths at my lights in the month of August. Their caterpillars feed on wingstem.
The first time I saw a Gold Moth, it was early in the morning and I was half-asleep. I mistook the moth for a White-dotted Prominent in the darkness. I was carrying the moth over to the bushes, to hide it from the birds, when suddenly my headlamp beam hit the moth's scales just right. The entire moth lit up like a bar of gold, shining in the darkness. I knew then that whatever this moth was, it wasn't a White-dotted Prominent!