Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Acronicta Members: 232 NC Records

Acronicta impleta Walker, 1856 - Yellow-haired Dagger

Acronicta impletaAcronicta impletaAcronicta impletaAcronicta impleta
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Acronictinae		P3 Number:
931474		 MONA Number:
9257.00		 Other Common Name:
Powdered 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 impleta is a member of Species Group V of Forbes (1954), which in North Carolina also includes A. noctivaga, A. impressa, A. longa, A. oblinita, A. lanceolaria, and A. sinescripta.
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: The ground color is typically powdery gray and even, lacking strong dark markings or shadings; a melanic form exists, however. The basal, anal, and subapical dashes are absent (Forbes, 1954). The orbicular and reniform are usually completely outlined with a fine black border and are filled with the ground color with a darker center. The antemedian is scalloped, double and filled with the ground color. The postmedian is the most contrasting marking on the forewing: dentate, white-filled and with two lunules in the fold. The subterminal is also represented by a series of white spots. The hindwings are dirty luteous with dark veins and border and lack a defined postmedian line or shade.
Wingspan: 40-50 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Genitalia and other structural photos
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 impletaAlamance 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.
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) lists fields, woodlands, and forests as habitat. Our records come from the full range of hardwood forests and woodlands that exist in North Carolina, from maritime forests, sandhill scrub, bottomland hardwoods, mesic slopes, and high elevation forests. We do not, however, have records from shrubby peatlands or shrubby maritime dunes.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on a wide range of hardwood trees and shrubs. Wagner (2005) lists alder (Alnus), ash (Fraxinus), birch (Betula), blueberry (Vaccinium), cherry (Prunus), dogwood (Cornus), elm (Ulmus), hickory (Carya), maple (Acer), mountain-ash (Sorbus), oak (Quercus), Sassafras, tupelo (Nyssa), walnut (Juglans), and willow (Salix). In North Carolina, we have observed the species feeding on oak, including Willow Oak (Q. phellos) and Black Oak (Q. velutina), and have seen larvae on a variety of other hardwood trees, including ash and Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). J.B. Sullivan also reared a larva from Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum). - 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 impleta - Yellow-haired Dagger

 111 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-08-11
Ashe Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-06-24
Orange Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2025-06-24
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2025-04-17
Wilson Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-04-08
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2025-04-05
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-04
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-04
Madison Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Emily Stanley on 2025-04-01
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rich Teper on 2025-03-28
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-09-21
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: David George on 2024-07-06
Orange Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-06-01
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-25
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2024-05-24
Graham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-12
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2024-05-12
Madison Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Stephen Hall, David George, and David Bradley on 2024-05-07
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-05-05
Madison Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-04-28
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-04-28
Durham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-04-28
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-04-28
Durham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: John Petranka and Chuck Smith on 2024-04-24
Gates Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Avery Young on 2024-04-13
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Avery Young on 2024-04-13
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2024-03-31
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2024-03-31
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta impleta
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2024-03-30
Madison Co.
Comment: