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Species Acronicta ovata - Ovate Dagger - Hodges#9243

Representative Images

 Ovate Dagger  - Acronicta ovata Epauleted Oak Dagger, 13 days after collection - Acronicta ovata ovate dagger - Acronicta ovata Ovate Dagger - Hodges#9243 - Acronicta ovata Ovate Dagger - Acronicta ovata Ovate Dagger Moth - Acronicta ovata Acronicta ovata Acronicta? - Beech - Acronicta ovata
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Noctuoidea (Owlet Moths and kin)
Family Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Subfamily Acronictinae
Genus Acronicta (Dagger Moths)
Species ovata (Ovate Dagger - Hodges#9243)

Hodges Number

9243

Size

wingspan 28-35 mm

Identification

Adult: forewing mottled gray and yellowish-brown; black basal dash and AM line merge to form a Y or T toward base; sharp anal dash present
hindwing grayish-brown

Range

Nova Scotia to North Carolina, west to Texas, north to Manitoba

Season

adults fly from June to September

Food

larvae feed on leaves of beech, birch, chestnut, oak

Life Cycle

two or more generations per year

Internet References

pinned adult image (The Titian Peale Butterfly and Moth Collection, Pennsylvania)
common name reference plus larval food plants and flight season (Ohio State U.)
Moth Photographers Group - Images of live adults
Moths of Maryland - Image of pinned adult
All-Leps - Images of pinned adults & range map