Powdered Dagger
Acronicta impleta
The 'dagger' in its name refers to the sharp, dark, dagger-like markings on its forewings, which provide excellent camouflage against tree bark during daytime rest.
- Scientific name
- Acronicta impleta
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Noctuidae › Acronicta
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, mixed woodlands, orchards, and urban parks.
- Diet
- Larvae feed on leaves of deciduous hosts including cherry, birch, willow, maple, and elm; adults feed on floral nectar and tree sap.
- Range
- Eastern North America, Central North America, Southern Canada
- Size
- Wingspan of 30 to 45 mm.
- Lifespan
- Approximately 1 year (mostly spent as egg, larva, and pupa; adults live only a few weeks).
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, light pollution attracting and exhausting adults, and broad-spectrum pesticide use.
- Safe to approach?
- Adult moths are completely harmless. However, the caterpillars possess bristly hairs that can cause mild skin irritation. Avoid handling the caterpillars directly. If contact occurs, wash the skin with soap and water, and use adhesive tape to gently lift any embedded hairs from the skin.
The yellow-haired dagger moth ( Acronicta impleta ) is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found in most of North America.
Photo: DiegoH, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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