Observation date: September 19, 2018
Submitted by: frampton6
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: We found one of these late this morning outside the basement door. (About 15 miles east of Colorado Springs, Co.) It was hot and sunny, about 85 degrees. As soon as we saw one, we saw 10-15 more in the same area. We've got a small one and two larger ones in a butterfly pavilion and have nectar in a small lid, along with a piece of watermelon, and plants that they were on when we found them. Perhaps some type of aster? We watched one of them pull all of the silk from the flower blossom and make a pile of it on the habitat floor.
Status: Resident
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: November 16, 2018
Coordinator notes: Definitely the distinctive Cucullia dorsalis caterpillar as you suggested. Indeed, this type of purple-flowered aster (I believe Machaeranthera sp.) serves as the species' primary host plant.
