American Dagger Moth (NPS Catoctin Mountain Park Butterflies and Moths)

American Dagger Moth

Acronicta americana

Summary ¹²

The American Dagger Moth (Acronicta americana) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is native to North America.

Description ¹³

The American dagger moth has a wingspan of 50 to 65 mm (2.0 to 2.6 in). It is gray to gray-brown with darker markings. It usually has a sharp, double postmedian line, with white in between the two lines. There is a black dash on the anal area of the fore wing. The hind wing is gray with a faint, darker gray median line in the male. The female is similar, except the hind wing is completely dark.

Distribution ¹³

The American dagger moth is found in North America east of the Rocky Mountains.

Flight period ¹³

The American dagger moth can be seen from April to September throughout its range. Caterpillars can be seen from July to October. It has one brood in the north and two to three broods in the south.

Habitat ¹³

The American dagger moth is found in deciduous woodlands and forests.

Life cycle ¹³

The young caterpillar is densely covered with yellow setae. The older caterpillar's setae are either pale yellow or white. All instars have thin, black setae on the first and third abdominal segments. On the eighth abdominal segment, there is one tuft of black setae. The caterpillar will reach a length 50 mm (2.0 in).

Sources and Credits

(c) eskimo_jo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/eskimo_jo/954407950/
(c) sankax, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/sankax/9325444578/
(c) Dendroica cerulea, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/dendroica/5855297178/
(c) ozmetarium, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/insectsmann/3478505150/
(c) cisc1970, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/franciscodaum/7662820986/
(c) Ilona L, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/14379121@N03/11044228755/
(c) Kent McFarland, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/vtebird/9471063159/
(c) Seabrooke Leckie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/rustyblackbird/4672507034/
(c) Seabrooke Leckie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/rustyblackbird/4671880547/
(c) Nancy Magnusson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/34312269@N04/14817205051/
(c) Dendroica cerulea, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/dendroica/5826454715/
Adapted by Allie Hay from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronicta_americana
(c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronicta_americana

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