''Acronicta hasta'', the forked dagger moth, speared dagger moth, cherry dagger moth or dart 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 in the eastern deciduous woodlands, ranging west across southern
Saskatchewan and
Alberta into central southern
British Columbia, south to
Tennessee,
Wisconsin and
Kansas.
''Acronicta furcifera'' was considered a separate species until 1998, but is now considered a synonym.
The
wingspan is 35–45 mm. Adults are on wing from April to September depending on the location. There are two or more generations per year in the south and one or two in the north.
The larvae feed on cherry, oak and plum.
Subspecies
*''Acronicta hasta hasta''
*''Acronicta hasta telum''
*''Acronicta hasta manitoba'' (Western Canada)
External links
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Acronicta
Moths of North America
Moths described in 1852
{{Acronictinae-stub