Moths of North Carolina
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Acronicta Members:
107 NC Records

Acronicta laetifica Smith, 1897 - Pleasant Dagger

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: AcronictinaeP3 Number: 931444.00 MONA Number: 9227.00
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. This species is placed in subgenus Agriopodes by Schmidt and Anweiler, and in the Hasta Species Group. Other members of this group in North Carolina include Acronicta hamamelis, A. lithospila, A. innotata, A. betulae, A. radcliffei, A. hasta, A. interrupta, A. spinigera, A. superans, A. morula, and A. lobeliae.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Schmidt and Anweiler (2020)                                                                                 
Wingspan: 3.7 - 4.3 cm (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: The species seems to be found throughout most of the state, though it is rare at high elevations in the mountains, and possibly absent from parts of the coastal plain.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Immature Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come mainly from bottomlands, where hornbeam is nearly universally present, and from mafic areas, where hop-hornbeam is common.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on hornbeam, hop-hornbeam, and possibly hazel (Wagner et al., 2011).
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Corylaceous Thickets and Understories
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S4
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 laetifica - Pleasant Dagger

31 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-05-21
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall, David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-04-29
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-08-15
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-08-15
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2022-08-15
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-07-20
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-29
Avery Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-05-21
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2022-05-15
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka on 2022-04-14
Orange Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-05-24
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-04-06
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-08-17
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2020-08-13
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-05-30
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-04-19
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-08-08
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2019-07-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-07-24
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-21
Madison Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2018-08-24
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2018-08-22
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-23
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-07-09
Madison Co.
Comment: Total length = 21 mm
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2017-08-17
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Britta Muiznieks on 2014-04-23
Dare Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Lenny Lampel on 2013-07-27
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2013-07-10
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2013-05-23
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2013-05-08
Cabarrus Co.
Comment: