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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Owlet Moths and kin (Noctuoidea) » Owlet Moths (Noctuidae) » Acronictinae » Dagger Moths (Acronicta) » Lobelia Dagger Moth - Hodges#9238 (Acronicta lobeliae)

Species Acronicta lobeliae - Lobelia Dagger Moth - Hodges#9238

Classification · Hodges Number · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Greater Oak Dagger Moth caterpillar - Acronicta lobeliae

9238 Lobelia Dagger Moth - Acronicta lobeliae

Fuzzy green caterpillar with yellow spots - Acronicta lobeliae

Acronicta lobeliae (Lobelia Dagger) - Acronicta lobeliae

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 lobeliae (Lobelia Dagger Moth - Hodges#9238)

Hodges Number

9238

Other Common Names

Greater Oak Dagger Moth (1)

Explanation of Names

Acronicta lobeliae (Guenée, 1852)

named for its supposed host, but Lobelia Dagger Moth is a misnomer as this is an oak specialist (1)

Size

Wingspan 4.2-6 cm.

Larva to 5 cm (1)

Identification

Adult: forewing medium brownish-gray with four heavy black dashes; hindwing tan, almost same shade as forewing but with faint markings.

Larva: two forms (one of which may represent an unrecognized species) (1)

Range

e. NA to w. TX - Map (MPG)(2)

Habitat

Woodlands and forests (1)

Season

Adults fly April-August (2 or more broods) (2)

Mature larvae May-November (1)

Food

Larvae feed on leaves of oak ( spp.). (1)

Life Cycle

(molting)

(prepupal)

Remarks

Our second largest dagger moth (2)

See Also

Speared Dagger (A. hasta) forewing is darker, and hindwing is paler; Pleasant Dagger (A. laetifica) forewing is paler and has only 3 dashes, and hindwing is paler (compare images of all 3 species at CBIF)

Print References

Covell, p. 85, plate 18, #3 (2)

Internet References

Moth Photographer Group - MPG

BAMONA

Works Cited

1.	Caterpillars of Eastern North America David L. Wagner. 2005. Princeton University Press.

2.	Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America Charles V. Covell, Jr. 2005.

Contributed by Cotinis on 7 May, 2004 - 3:35pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Robin McLeod, Mike Quinn, Jason D. Roberts, marcie oconnor, Fyn Kynd
Last updated 31 July, 2019 - 2:21pm

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