Species Acronicta vulpina - Miller Dagger - Hodges#9206

9206

Vulpina Dagger

formerly considered a subspecies of the Old World Acronicta leporina (both species occur together in eastern Russia)

Acronicta leporina is called The Miller in Europe, and is presumably the origin of the common name Miller Dagger for A. vulpina

wingspan 40-47 mm

Adult: forewing chalky white, lightly dusted with gray scales; normal lines are reduced to a few black spots where they would meet the costa, and a series of small dots marking the terminal line; other markings include a short basal streak, a few dark scales at the orbicular spot, a small crescent for the reniform spot; several small spots or streaks on the upper half, and a larger black blotch and streak near the anal angle indicate the subterminal line

hindwing white with small discal spot and series of black spots along margin at veins; sexes similar but females with a few more dark scales, especially along veins of hindwing

Larva: covered with long soft pale yellow hair, pointing forward on one side and backward on the other, due to the habit of resting with the body doubled sideways; has several small hair pencils, white and black, which do not exceed the length of the yellow hair

[both descriptions adapted from text at U. of Alberta site]

genitalia

Northwest Territories and British Columbia to Newfoundland, south to New York, west to Colorado

mature deciduous and mixedwood forests; urban plantations

adults fly from May to July (in Alberta)

larvae feed on leaves of Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides), White Birch (Betula papyrifera), Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera), willow (Salix spp.), and Speckled Alder (Alnus rugosa)

adult Cottonwood Dagger (A. lepusculina) is very similar but is pale gray rather than white, and has more complete wing markings

adult Unmarked Dagger (A. innotata) has a complete ST line, and lacks a basal streak

(compare images of all three species)

Pacific Northwest Moths

Moth Photographers Group

Barcoding Life

pinned adult image by A.B. Nojack, plus common name reference [Vulpina Dagger], habitat, flight season, description, food plants, distribution, similar species (Strickland Entomological Museum, U. of Alberta)

pinned adult image (CBIF)

distribution in eastern Canada list of provinces (CBIF)

distribution in western Canada list of provinces and territories (CBIF)