Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Acronicta Members: 31 NC Records

Acronicta rubricoma Guenée, 1852 - Hackberry Dagger

Acronicta rubricomaAcronicta rubricomaAcronicta rubricomaAcronicta rubricoma
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Acronictinae		P3 Number:
931420		 MONA Number:
9199.00		 Other Common Name:
Ruddy Dagger
Comments: One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Acronicta rubricoma belongs to Forbes's Group I, which in North Carolina also includes A. americana, A. hastulifera, A. dactylina, and A. lepusculina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Schmidt and Anweiler (2020)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-large Dagger with pale gray to darker brownish-gray forewings. The antemedian and postmedian are double, with a white filling. The antemedian is strongly looped, with particularly long loops located on the lower half of the wing. The orbicular is usually ocellate -- pale with a darker gray center. The reniform is large, horseshoe-shaped and marked with a dark shade. The veins in the subterminal area characteristically have heavy dark lines, typically originating from black dots on the subterminal (Forbes, 1954). Hindwings are gray with darker veins and a dark postmedian band. Acronicta americana, A. hastulifera, and A. dactylina are similar in pattern but are larger and have a generally smoother appearance. A. impleta is similar in size and color and also has an ocellate orbicular and darkened reniform. However, it has narrower wings and either lacks or has more obscure subterminal dashes. A. impleta also has more uniformly colored hindwings, lacking the postmedian band found in A. rubricoma.
Wingspan: 40 mm (Forbes, 1954); 3.8 - 4.4 cm (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Acronicta rubricomaAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New%20Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: immatures.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Piedmont records come primarily from rich bottomland forests. Mountain records, however, come mainly from upland forests.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on hackberry (Celtis) species as well as elm (Ulmus) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, we have recorded the species feeding on Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) and Common Hackberry (C. occidentalis). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Rich Wet-Dry Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 SNR [S2S4]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Acronicta rubricoma - Hackberry Dagger

Photos: 24
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Mark Basinger on 2025-06-23
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-05
Orange Co.
Comment:
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-10
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: David George on 2023-09-13
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment:
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-09-04
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: David George, John Petranka, Becky Watkins on 2023-09-02
Orange Co.
Comment:
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: David George on 2023-08-25
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-24
Polk Co.
Comment:
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Andrew W. Jones on 2023-08-24
Polk Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2022-08-07
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: David George, L. M. Carlson on 2022-07-23
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Simpson Eason on 2022-05-04
Durham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-05-22
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-05-18
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-05-02
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-07-29
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-05-19
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Julie Tuttle on 2017-06-24
Orange Co.
Comment: On Sugarberry growing in a rich bottomland
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2013-05-22
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Doug Blatny/Jackie Nelson on 2012-07-06
Ashe Co.
Comment:
Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2011-06-13
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta rubricomaRecorded by: SPH on 2006-08-25
Orange Co.
Comment: from a stand of rich bottomland forest