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. These moths blend in perfectly with the flower petals.
Close-up of the 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 at my lights in the month of August. Their caterpillars feed on wingstem.
The first time I found 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 it over to the bushes, to hide it from 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 the moth was, it wasn't a White-dotted Prominent!