Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Acronicta Members: 62 NC Records

Acronicta lithospila Grote, 1874 - Streaked Dagger

Acronicta lithospilaAcronicta lithospila
view caption 		Acronicta lithospilaAcronicta lithospila
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Acronictinae		P3 Number:
931434.6		 MONA Number:
9266.00
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. innotata, A. betulae, A. radcliffei, A. hasta, A. interrupta, A. laetifica, A. spinigera, A. superans, A. morula, and A. lobeliae.
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)                                                                                 
Wingspan: 3.4 - 4.2 cm (Covell, 1984)
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 lithospilaAlamance 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: Found in barrens and dry oak forests throughout its range (Wagner et al., 2011). North Carolina records come from dry forests, including sandhills in the Coastal Plain, monadnocks in the Piedmont, and dry ridges in the Mountains. A few come from more mesic oak forests.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are oligophagous, feeding primarily on oaks (Quercus), but are also reported to use chestnut (Castanea), hickory (Carya), and walnut (Juglans) (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, we have observed the species feeding on Willow Oak (Quercus phellos). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Dry-Xeric Hardwood Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [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 lithospila - Streaked Dagger

Photos: 28
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: David George, Dale Morgan, Patrick Coin, Julie Tuttle, Becky Watkins, et al. on 2025-07-26
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Emily Stanley on 2024-08-29
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Kenneth Geisert, David Bradley, Julie Tuttle, Patrick Coin, Kaitlyn Elliott, Becky Watkins on 2024-08-17
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: David George, Rich Teper on 2024-05-13
Chatham Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: David George on 2023-08-20
Orange Co.
Comment: feeding on Quercus phellos		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: David George on 2023-08-20
Orange Co.
Comment: feeding on Quercus phellos
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Jim Petranka, Becky Elkin and Bo Sullivan on 2023-08-08
Wilkes Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: John Petranka on 2023-05-29
Orange Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik on 2023-05-17
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Vin Stanton on 2022-08-28
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Richard Teper on 2021-08-01
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-06-04
Wake Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2021-05-23
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-08-17
Madison Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2020-06-26
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2018-09-04
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-08-11
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2018-08-11
Madison Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2017-05-19
Chatham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2016-07-07
McDowell Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-07-30
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Darryl Willis on 2014-08-16
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: JWP on 2014-07-03
Surry Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2014-05-31
McDowell Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: J.B. Sullivan on 2013-05-10
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-08-23
Warren Co.
Comment:
Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: Paul Scharf on 2011-06-09
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta lithospilaRecorded by: S. Hall on 2000-04-06
Moore Co.
Comment: