''Acronicta fragilis'', the fragile dagger moth, is a
moth of the family
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other f ...
. The species was
first described by
Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found in North America from
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
to
Florida, west across
Canada, south to
Kentucky and
Minnesota. It is listed as a species of special concern in the US state of
Connecticut.
The
wingspan is about 30 mm. Adults are on wing from June to July depending on the location.
The larvae feed on
apple,
birch,
plum
A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes.
History
Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...
,
willow, and
white spruce.
Subspecies
*''Acronicta fragilis minella''
*''Acronicta fragilis fragiloides''
References
External links
*
*
Acronicta
Moths of North America
Moths described in 1852
{{Acronictinae-stub