Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members: Acronicta Members: 30 NC Records

Acronicta insularis (Herrich-Schäffer, 1868) - Marsh Dagger

Acronicta insularisAcronicta insularisAcronicta insularisAcronicta insularis
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Acronictinae		P3 Number:
931477.2		 MONA Number:
9280.00		 MONA Synonym:
Simyra insularis		Other Common Names:
Henry's Marsh Moth, Cattail Caterpillar Moth
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.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984; as Simyra henrici); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Wingspan: 3.5 - 4 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.
Acronicta insularisAlamance 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: Wagner et al. (2011) list wetlands and fields as habitats used by this species. Our records come from marshes, pond edges, and wet savannas.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae feed on grasses, cattails, sedges, and low-growing forbs; also on some low woody species (Wagner et al., 2011). In North Carolina, they have been observed feeding on Broadleaf Cattail (Typha latifolia). - View
Wikipedia
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 insularis - Marsh Dagger

Photos: 17
Acronicta insularisRecorded by: Cheryl A. Williams on 2024-07-20
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta insularisRecorded by: Cheryl A. Williams on 2024-07-20
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Acronicta insularisRecorded by: R.Newman on 2024-04-06
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta insularisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2023-08-23
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Acronicta insularisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2022-08-01
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta insularisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2022-03-15
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Acronicta insularisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2021-06-05
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta insularisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2021-06-05
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Acronicta insularisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2021-05-13
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta insularisRecorded by: R. Newman on 2021-05-13
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Acronicta insularisRecorded by: Stephen Dunn on 2020-07-25
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta insularisRecorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-07-15
Guilford Co.
Comment:
Acronicta insularisRecorded by: David George on 2018-09-29
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta insularisRecorded by: Britta Muiznieks on 2014-05-26
Dare Co.
Comment:
Acronicta insularisRecorded by: Britta Muiznieks on 2013-09-06
Dare Co.
Comment: 		Acronicta insularisRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2010-09-11
Beaufort Co.
Comment:
Acronicta insularisRecorded by: K. Bischof on 2010-09-11
Beaufort Co.
Comment: