Goldenrod Hooded Owlet (Cucullia asteroides)

We spotted this awesomely camouflaged moth on one of our squash stakes. We noticed an odd bump on the stick, looked a bit closer and realized we were looking at a moth. What a perfect spot to land! How did this moth know??

The obvious reddish brown blotches seems to be one of the key characteristics separating this species: the Goldenrod Hooded Owlet (Cucullia asteroides) from the Gray Hooded Owlet (Cucullia florea).

This moth is also known as the Asteroid. Check out a picture of the caterpillar here. It's incredibly colorful relative to the adult. That makes sense since its host plants are goldenrod and asters.

Happy Summer Solstice!