Smeared Dagger
Common NameSmeared Dagger
Scientific NameAcronicta oblinita
FamilyNoctuidae
SubfamilyAcronictinae
Wingspan (mm)42
Primary Colorswhite, grey, black, brown
HabitatMarshes, swamps, bogs, wet meadows, moist woodlands
Geographic RangeEastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to Manitoba, south to Florida and Texas
Host Plantssmartweed, cattail, willow, buttonbush, alder, blueberry, sedges
Flight PeriodMay to October
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesLarvae are distinctive, covered in dense, stiff, reddish-brown to black hairs, often with a row of yellow or orange spots along the sides. They feed openly on host plants before pupating in a cocoon.
Identification TipsKey features include the mottled, streaked whitish-gray forewings, often with an indistinct dagger mark, and the robust, hairy body. The unique hairy larva with lateral yellow/orange spots is also a strong identifier.
Description
This moth has robust, hairy body and forewings that are predominantly whitish or pale gray, heavily mottled and streaked with darker gray and black, giving a 'smeared' appearance.
