Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Acronicta Members: 242 NC Records

Acronicta immodica Walker, 1856 - Medium Oak Dagger

Acronicta immodicaAcronicta immodicaAcronicta immodicaAcronicta immodica
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Acronictinae		P3 Number:
931419.85		 MONA Number:
9242.10		 MONA Synonym:
Acronicta modica		Other Common Name:
Medium 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. This species is placed in subgenus Lepitoreuma by Schmidt and Anweiler, and in the Increta Species Group. Other members of this group in North Carolina include A. albarufa, A. ovata, A. exilis, A. modica (=haesitata), A. increta, and A. tristis.
Species Status:

Note the change in name! This species was previously named Acronicta haesitata but was recently changed by Schmidt and Anweiler (2020) to Acronicta modica, since the type specimen of A. modica turned out to be what was later called A. haesitata. Conversely, the species that formerly was identified as A. modica is now re-named as A. immodica.

Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954, as A. modica); Schmidt and Anweiler (2020)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium-sized, fairly uniform gray dagger. The ground color of the forewings is pale gray but more-or-less tinged with yellow; the occipital area of the head and tegulae may also be marked with yellow. The basal area is not darker than the rest of the wing and the antemedian line does not strongly contrast with the ground color. The other transverse lines and outlines of the spots are also fairly diffuse, but the anal dash is typically black and narrowly defined. The hindwings are pale fuscous. Acronicta modica (formerly A. haesitata) is similar in size and pattern but lacks the yellow tinge on the forewings, has a somewhat darker antemedian, and has more diffuse anal dashes if they are present at all (Forbes, 1954). Neither A. immodica nor A. modica has a reddish shade at the reniform, which is more characteristic of A. ovata, A. exilis, A. increta, or A. albarufa.
Wingspan: 33-37 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Forewing Length: 17.3 mm, males; 17.9 mm, females (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020)
Adult Structural Features: Apart from size -- which distinguishes A. exilis from the others -- members of the Increta Species Group show essentially no structural differences, including reproductive structures (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020).
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.
Acronicta immodicaAlamance 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 Hanover 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.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records come mainly from mesic to dry sites but not xeric sites.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae have been recorded on White Oak (Quercus alba), and probably feed on other oaks (Wagner et al., 2011). We do not have any feeding records in North Carolina.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Oak-Hickory Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S4S5]
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 immodica - Medium Oak Dagger

 129 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Marilyn Westphal and Becky Elkin on 2025-08-17
Henderson Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: David George, Kevin Bischof, Rich Teper, Patrick Coin on 2025-08-16
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-25
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-07-25
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-07-12
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2025-06-25
Mitchell Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-05-21
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-11-05
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: R. Teper, David George on 2024-11-05
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-09-14
Orange Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Stephen Dunn on 2024-08-02
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Patrick Coin, Steve Hall, Carol Tingley, Tom Howard on 2024-07-27
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-15
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-07-08
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-06
Durham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-06-16
Rowan Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: John Petranka on 2024-06-07
Orange Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2024-05-23
Transylvania Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-22
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-05-03
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-03-14
Madison Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2023-08-18
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Stefanie Hedrick on 2023-08-17
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2023-08-16
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-08-12
Davidson Co.
Comment:
Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-08-12
Davidson Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta immodica
Recorded by: Chuck Smith on 2023-08-05
Davidson Co.
Comment: