Moths of North Carolina
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Acronicta Members:
89 NC Records

Acronicta morula Grote & Robinson, 1868 - Ochre Dagger

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: AcronictinaeP3 Number: 931453.00 MONA Number: 9236.00
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. laetifica, A. spinigera, A. superans, 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: 4 - 5 cm (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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: Wagner (2005) lists fields, woodlands, and forest edges as habitat. The majority of our records come from cove forests and northern hardwood forests in the Mountains. In the Piedmont, records come mainly from rich bottomlands. In the Coastal Plain, it has been found in Brownwater river floodplains and a few stands of mesic hardwoods that may be associated with marl.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae have only been confirmed to feed on Elms, with only American Elm firmly documented (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020). A few other species, including apple, basswood, and hawthorn (Wagner, 2005) have been reported but are questionable. A caterpillar was observed feeding on Winged Elm (Ulmus alata) in Durham County.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Rich Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S3S4
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 morula - Ochre Dagger

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

Recorded by: David George on 2023-09-03
Durham Co.
Comment: feeding on Ulmus alata		Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-08-09
Davidson Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2023-07-23
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-07-04
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-07-02
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2023-07-02
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-12
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-12
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-05-05
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2023-04-29
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales on 2022-09-03
Sampson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George, Lior Carlson, Brian Bockhahn on 2022-08-09
Rockingham Co.
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Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-29
Avery Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Richard Teper on 2022-06-16
Jackson Co.
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Recorded by: tom ward on 2022-06-09
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2022-06-07
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2022-05-03
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-08-17
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-05-21
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2021-05-15
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2021-05-12
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David L. Heavner on 2021-04-10
Chatham Co.
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Recorded by: Heather Burditt on 2020-05-27
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Heather Burditt on 2020-05-27
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Heather Burditt on 2020-05-27
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-11-07
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-11-07
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2019-11-07
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-23
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2019-06-07
Madison Co.
Comment: