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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

Lobelia Dagger Moth - Acronicta lobeliae Unknown Caterpillar - Acronicta lobeliae Unknown caterpillar - Acronicta lobeliae Lobelia dagger moth - Acronicta lobeliae dagger moth caterpillar - Acronicta lobeliae Acronicta lobeliae Fall caterpillar - Acronicta lobeliae Acronicta - 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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