Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Acronicta Members: 393 NC Records

Acronicta americana (Harris, 1841) - American Dagger


Acronicta americanaAcronicta americanaAcronicta americanaAcronicta americana
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea
Family:
Noctuidae
Subfamily:
Acronictinae
P3 Number:
931421
MONA Number:
9200.00
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 americana was included in Species Group I by Forbes (1954), which in North Carolina also includes A. rubricoma, 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: Our largest Dagger. Forewings are pale gray with the postmedian usually the most prominent marking: a scalloped, double, white-filled line with both the inner and outer edges well defined and darker than the ground color, at least when fresh. The orbicular is oval shaped and also pale-filled but the large horseshoe-shaped reniform has a fuscous filling. No basal dash is present but there is typically a slender, black anal dash. The hindwings are sexually dimorphic, being dark fuscous in the females and a paler luteous in the males; the veins are lined with dark in both sexes but are more contrasting in the males (Forbes, 1954). A distinct median line is also present on the hindwing (Covell, 1984), at least on the underside, but shows through to the upperside to a varying extent. Acronicta dactylina and A. hastulifera are smaller but have forewings with a similar pattern. The inner edge of the postmedian in those species is more diffuse or absent (Forbes, 1954), but can be very similar to that of worn A. americana. In both A. dactylina and A. hastulifera, the outer side of the postmedian tends to be more darkly shaded, at least where the anal dash crosses it, and the reniform is usually covered with a dark smudge. In A. americana, the postmedian area is usually the same or only slightly darker than the ground color and the dark shade in the reniform is more confined to the center. The hindwing of female A. americana is much darker than those of the other species and is diagnostic. In male A. americana, the hindwing is about the same shade as the females of the other two species, but the dark veins are much more contrasting. Males of both A. dactylina and A. hastulifera have nearly white hindwings, lined with gray, which easily distinguishes them from A. americana (Forbes, 1954). Although Covell (1984) states that a median line on the hindwing is characteristic of A. americana, both A. dactylina and A. hastulifera also possess them, again usually most strongly marked on the underside of the wing but showing through to the upperside in some cases.
Wingspan: 50-62 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Structural photos
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: Probably occurs state-wide, but seems to be uncommon on the coast.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Acronicta americanaAlamance 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: Wagner et al. (2011) list woodlands and forests as habitats used by this species. Our records come from the most of the hardwood habitats found in the state except for maritime forest in the southern Coastal Plain. We do not have records from pocosins or maritime shrublands, or other sites dominated by shrubs rather than trees.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are widely polyphagous on hardwood trees and shrubs. Wagner (2005) lists maple, alder, birch, hornbeam, hickory, chestnut, redbud, hazelnut, ash, walnut, sycamore, poplar, oak, willow, basswood, and elm. In North Carolina, the species has been observed on a variety of hardwood trees, but maples seem to be the primary host. Specifically, larvae have been recorded feeding on Red Maple (Acer rubrum) and Box-elder (A. negundo). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S5]
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 americana - American Dagger

149 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-24
Buncombe Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-06-24
Buncombe Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-04-21
Cumberland Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-04-21
Cumberland Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2025-04-21
Cumberland Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-05
Orange Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Morgan Freese on 2024-08-31
Buncombe Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-08-07
Madison Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kevin Bischof on 2024-08-07
Transylvania Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-08-04
Transylvania Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-08-01
Wilson Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-26
Orange Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: David George on 2024-07-20
Chatham Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-07-16
Madison Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: David George on 2024-07-15
Chatham Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: David George on 2024-07-15
Chatham Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-07-15
Graham Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: David George on 2024-07-15
Chatham Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-14
Watauga Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-07-13
Buncombe Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: John Petranka on 2024-07-11
Watauga Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08
Chatham Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-07-04
Transylvania Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-25
McDowell Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-06-25
Yancey Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-23
Yancey Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin on 2024-06-22
Chatham Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: Dean Furbish, Lior S. Carlson on 2024-06-18
Lincoln Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: David George, Steve Hall, Patrick Coin, Mark Basinger on 2024-06-16
Chatham Co.
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Acronicta americanaRecorded by: David George, Tracy Feldman, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin, Becky Watkins on 2024-06-08
Wake Co.
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