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, photographed at my moth lights on August 26, 2023. This is the only Gold Moth I have ever found.
I was half-asleep when I first saw this moth, and in the darkness, I mistook it for a White-dotted Prominent (very common species at my lights). I picked up this moth and started carrying it to the bushes to hide it from birds. Then, all of a sudden, the light from my headlamp hit its wings just right and the whole moth lit up like a bar of gold. I knew then that whatever this moth was, it wasn't a White-dotted Prominent!