''Acronicta'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

noctuid moth 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 ...

s containing about 150

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

distributed mainly in the

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...

Holarctic The Holarctic realm is a biogeographic realm that comprises the majority of habitats found throughout the continents in the Northern Hemisphere. It corresponds to the floristic Boreal Kingdom. It includes both the Nearctic zoogeographical reg ...

, with some in adjacent subtropical regions. The genus was erected by

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his Nobility#Ennoblement, ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalise ...

in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''.

Caterpillars Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Symp ...

of most ''Acronicta''

are unmistakable, with brightly colored hairy spikes, and often feed quite visibly on common foliate trees. The hairy spikes may contain poison, which cause itchy, painful, swollen rash in humans on contact. The

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

of the smeared dagger moth (''A. oblinita'') is unusually hairy even for this genus. ''Acronicta'' species are generally known as dagger moths, as most have one or more black

dagger A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use de ...

-shaped markings on their forewing uppersides. But some species have a conspicuous dark ring marking instead.

Description

Its eyes are naked and without eyelashes. The proboscis is fully developed. Antennae are simple in both sexes. Thorax and abdomen tuftless. Abdomen with long coarse hair on the dorsal part of proximal segments. Legs spineless. Forewings with non-crenulate cilia. Inner margin slightly lobed towards base.

Species

The following species are classified in the genus. * ''

Acronicta aceris The sycamore (''Acronicta aceris'') is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. It is distributed through most of Europe, from central England south to Mo ...

'' Linnaeus, 1758Linnaeus (1758). ''Systema Naturae'' (Edn 10) 1: 510-516. – sycamore * ''

Acronicta adaucta ''Acronicta adaucta'' is a moth of the family Noctuidae first described by William Warren in 1909. It is found in the Korean Peninsula, Japan, north-eastern China and the Russian Far East (Primorye, Khabarovsk, Amur region, Sakhalin, southe ...

'' Warren, 1909 * ''

Acronicta afflicta ''Acronicta afflicta'', the afflicted dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in Canada (Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario), the United States (including Alabama, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Georgia, Maryland, New York and Ohio ...

'' Grote, 1864 – afflicted dagger moth * ''

Acronicta albarufa ''Acronicta albarufa'', the barrens dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It has a fragmented distribution in North America that includes southern Ontario and Manitoba, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Virginia, Geo ...

'' Grote, 1874 * ''

Acronicta albistigma ''Acronicta albistigma'' is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in Asia, including Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the north ...

'' Hampson, 1909 * ''

Acronicta alni ''Acronicta alni'', the alder moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in Europe (from southern Fennoscandia to Spain, Italy and the Balkans), Turkey, the European part of Russia and the neighbouring countries, the Caucasus, the Ur ...

'' Linnaeus, 1767Linnaeus (1767). ''Systema Naturae'' (Edn 12) 1(2): 845. – alder moth * ''

Acronicta americana ''Acronicta'' is a genus of noctuid moths containing about 150 species distributed mainly in the temperate Holarctic, with some in adjacent subtropical regions. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Natu ...

'' Harris, 1841 – American dagger moth * ''

Acronicta atristrigatus ''Acronicta atristrigatus'' is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae (the owlet moths). The MONA or Hodges number A MONA number (short for Moths of North America), or Hodges number after Ronald W. Hodges, is part of a numbering system f ...

'' J.B. Smith, 1900 (alternative spelling ''Acronicta atristrigata'') * ''

Acronicta auricoma ''Acronicta auricoma'', the scarce dagger, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed through most of the Palearctic. Distribution Missing in the Iberian peninsula. On the Italian peninsula the occurrence is limited essentially to th ...

'' chiffermüller 1775 chiffermüller(1775). ''Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend'' pp. 67-88 – scarce dagger * ''

Acronicta australis ''Acronicta australis'' is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae (the owlet moths). It is found in North America. The MONA or Hodges number A MONA number (short for Moths of North America), or Hodges number after Ronald W. Hodges, is par ...

'' (Mustelin & Leuschner, 2000) * '' Acronicta barnesii'' Smith, 1897 * '' Acronicta beameri'' Todd, 1958 * ''

Acronicta bellula ''Acronicta bellula'' is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in the Korean Peninsula, northern China, north-eastern Mongolia, the Russian Far East (Primorsky Krai, Primorye, southern Khabarovsk, southern Amur Oblast, Amur region) and sout ...

'' Alphéraky, 1895 * '' Acronicta betulae'' Riley, 1884 – birch dagger moth * '' Acronicta bicolor'' Moore, 1881 * ''

Acronicta browni ''Acronicta browni'' is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in North America, including California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a to ...

'' Mustelin & Leuschner, 2000 * '' Acronicta brumosa'' Guenée, 1852 – charred dagger moth * '' Acronicta carbonaria'' Graeser, 1889 * '' Acronicta catocaloida'' Graeser, 1889 * ''

Acronicta centralis ''Acronicta centralis'' is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in Armenia, Iran, Tajikistan and Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bo ...

'' Erschoff, 1874 * '' Acronicta cinerea'' Hufnagel, 1766Hufnagel (1766). ''Berlin. Magazin.'' 3(4): 416. * ''

Acronicta clarescens ''Acronicta clarescens'', commonly known as the clear dagger moth, is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae. It is found in North America. The wingspan is about 40 mm. Adults are on wing from May to August depending on the location. Th ...

'' Guenée, 1852 – clear dagger moth * '' Acronicta concrepta'' Draudt 1937 * '' Acronicta connecta'' Grote, 1873 – connected dagger moth * '' Acronicta cuspis'' Hübner,

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. ''Sammlung Europäischer Schmetterlinge'' pl. 108 (1809-1813), fig. 504 – large dagger * '' Acronicta cyanescens'' Hampson, 1909 * '' Acronicta dahurica'' Kononenko & Han, 2008''Zootaxa'' 1910: 45. * '' Acronicta dactylina'' Grote, 1874 – fingered dagger moth * '' Acronicta denticulata'' Moore * '' Acronicta digna'' Butler, 1881 * '' Acronicta dinawa'' Bethune-Baker, 1906 * '' Acronicta dolli'' (Barnes & McDunnough, 1918) * '' Acronicta edolata'' Grote, 1881 * '' Acronicta euphorbiae'' chiffermüller 1775 – sweet gale moth * '' Acronicta exempta'' Dyar, 1922 * '' Acronicta exilis'' Grote, 1874 – exiled dagger moth * '' Acronicta extricata'' Grote, 1882 * '' Acronicta falcula'' Grote, 1877 * '' Acronicta fragilis'' Guénée, 1852 – fragile dagger moth * '' Acronicta funeralis'' Grote & Robinson, 1866 – funerary dagger moth * ''

Acronicta gastridia ''Acronicta gastridia'' is a moth of the family Noctuidae first described by Charles Swinhoe in 1895. It is found in Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, t ...

'' Swinhoe, 1895 * '' Acronicta grisea'' Walker, 1856 – gray dagger moth * '' Acronicta hamamelis'' Guenée, 1852 (syn: '' Acronicta subochrea'' Grote, 1874) – witch hazel dagger moth * ''

Acronicta hasta ''Acronicta hasta'', the forked dagger moth, speared dagger moth, cherry dagger moth or dart dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was Species description, first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found in North Ame ...

'' Guenée, 1852 – speared dagger moth * '' Acronicta hastulifera'' J.E. Smith, 1797 – frosted dagger moth * '' Acronicta heitzmani'' Covell & Metzler, 1992 – Heitzman's dagger moth * '' Acronicta hercules'' Felder & Rogenhofer, 1874 * '' Acronicta immodica'' Schmidt & Anweiler, 2020 - medium dagger moth * ''

Acronicta impleta ''Acronicta impleta'', the yellow-haired dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in most of North America. The wingspan is about 42 mm. Adults are on wing from April to July depending on the location. The larvae feed on ...

'' Walker, 1856 – yellow-haired dagger moth * '' Acronicta impressa'' Walker, 1856 – impressed dagger moth * ''

Acronicta inclara ''Acronicta inclara'', the unclear dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by John Bernhardt Smith John Bernhardt Smith (November 21, 1858 – March 12, 1912) was an American professor of entomology who ...

'' Smith, 1900 – unclear dagger moth * '' Acronicta increta'' Morrison, 1974 – raspberry bud dagger * '' Acronicta innotata'' Guenée, 1852 – unmarked dagger moth * '' Acronicta insita'' Walker, 1856 * '' Acronicta intermedia'' Warren, 1909 * '' Acronicta interrupta'' Guenée, 1852 – interrupted dagger moth * '' Acronicta iria'' Swinhoe, 1899 * '' Acronicta jozana'' Matsumura, 1926 * '' Acronicta laetifica'' Smith, 1897 – pleasant dagger moth * '' Acronicta lanceolaria'' Grote, 1875 – lanceolate dagger moth * '' Acronicta lepetita'' Smith, 1908 * ''

Acronicta leporina The miller (''Acronicta leporina'') is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found throughout Europe apart from the far south-east. The range extends from the South of Spain, Central Italy and Bulgaria to Scotland and Central Scandinavia, cros ...

'' Linnaeus, 1758 – miller * '' Acronicta lepusculina'' Guenée, 1852 – cottonwood dagger moth * '' Acronicta leucocuspis'' Butler, 1878 * '' Acronicta lithospila'' Grote, 1874 – streaked dagger moth * ''

Acronicta lobeliae ''Acronicta lobeliae'', the lobelia dagger moth or greater oak dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was Species description, first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found in North America. The larvae feed on ''Qu ...

'' Guenée, 1852 – lobelia dagger moth, greater oak dagger moth * '' Acronicta longa'' Guenée, 1852 – long-winged dagger moth * ''

Acronicta lupini ''Acronicta lupini'', the lupine dagger or little bear, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1873. It is found from Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia, Alberta and Yuk ...

'' Grote, 1873 (syn: ''Acronicta ursina'' (Smith, 1898), ''Acronicta atlinensis'' (Barnes & Benjamin, 1927) * '' Acronicta lutea'' Bremer & Grey 1852 * ''

Acronicta major ''Acronicta major'' is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in the Korean Peninsula, China to Tibet, Japan, the Russian Far East (Primorsky Krai, Primorye, Khabarovsk, Amur Oblast, Amur region, Sakhalin, southern Kuriles), southern Siberia ...

'' Bremer, 1861 * '' Acronicta mansueta'' Smith, 1897 * '' Acronicta marmorata'' Smith, 1897 – marble dagger moth * ''

Acronicta megacephala The poplar grey (''Acronicta megacephala'') is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found throughout Europe. Technical description and variation ''A. megacephala'' F. (3b). Forewing pale grey, suffused with dark, except in a patch beyond cell ...

'' chiffermüller 1775 – poplar grey * ''

Acronicta menyanthidis ''Acronicta menyanthidis'', the light knot grass, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed through northern, central and eastern Europe, east to Siberia and the Russian Far East. The wingspan is 33–41 mm. Forewing bluish whi ...

'' Esper, 1789 – light knot grass * '' Acronicta metaxantha'' Hampson, 1909 * '' Acronicta modica'' Walker, 1856 – hesitant dagger moth * '' Acronicta morula'' Grote & Robinson, 1868 – ochre dagger moth * '' Acronicta nigricans'' Leech, 1900 * '' Acronicta noctivaga'' Grote, 1864 – night-wandering dagger moth * '' Acronicta oblinita'' Smith, 1797 (syn: '' Acronicta arioch'' Strecker, 1898) – smeared dagger moth * '' Acronicta omorii'' Matsumura, 1926Matsumura (1926). ''Insecta Matsumurana'' 1: 3, pl. 1, fig. 2. * ''

Acronicta orientalis ''Acronicta'' is a genus of noctuid moths containing about 150 species distributed mainly in the temperate Holarctic, with some in adjacent subtropical regions. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, ...

'' Mann, 1862Mann (1862). ''Wiener Entomologische Monatschrift'' 6: 370, pl. 3, fig. 4. * '' Acronicta othello'' Smith, 1908 * '' Acronicta ovata'' Grote, 1873 – ovate dagger moth * ''

Acronicta parallela ''Acronicta parallela'', the parallel dagger moth, is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It was considered a synonym of '' Acronicta falcula'' but reinstated as a valid species in 2011. It is found in North America, including Colorado and ...

'' Grote, 1879 * '' Acronicta pasiphae'' Draudt, 1936 * '' Acronicta paupercula'' Grote, 1874 * '' Acronicta perblanda'' Ferguson, 1989 * ''

Acronicta perdita ''Acronicta perdita'' is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found from British Columbia south to California. The wingspan is 42–46 mm. Adults are on wing from April to July depending on the location. The larvae feed on ''Ceanothus'' a ...

'' Grote, 1874 * '' Acronicta pruinosa'' Guenée, 1852Guenée (1852). in Boisduval & Guenée. '' Histoire naturelle des insectes; spécies général des lépidoptères'' 5 (Noct. 1) p. 53. * ''

Acronicta psi The grey dagger (''Acronicta psi'') is a moth of the family Noctuidae. Distribution This species can be found from Europe and North Africa to northern Iran, central Asia, southern and central Siberia and Mongolia. In the Levant it is found in ...

'' Linnaeus, 1758 – grey dagger * '' Acronicta psichinesis'' Kononenko & Han, 2008 * '' Acronicta psorallina'' Lower, 1903 * '' Acronicta pulverosa'' Hampson 1909 * '' Acronicta quadrata'' Smith, 1908 * '' Acronicta radcliffei'' Harvey, 1875 – Radcliffe's dagger moth * '' Acronicta raphael'' Oberthur 1884 * '' Acronicta rapidan'' Dyar, 1912 * '' Acronicta retardata'' Walker, 1861 (syn: ''

Acronicta caesarea ''Acronicta retardata'', the retarded dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found from Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Texas, north to Manitoba. The wingspan is 25–32 mm. Adults are on wing from April to August depending ...

'' Smith, 1905) – retarded dagger moth * ''

Acronicta rubiginosa ''Acronicta'' is a genus of noctuid moths containing about 150 species distributed mainly in the temperate Holarctic, with some in adjacent subtropical regions. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, ...

'' Walker, 1862Walker (1862). ''Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society: Zoology'' 6: 178. * ''

Acronicta rubricoma ''Acronicta rubricoma'', the ruddy dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found from southern Ontario and New York (state), New York to central Florida, west to Texas and east Kansas. The wingspan is 38–44 mm. Adults are on ...

'' Guenée, 1852 – ruddy dagger moth * ''

Acronicta rumicis ''Acronicta rumicis'', the knot grass moth, is a species of moth which is part of the genus '' Acronicta'' and family Noctuidae. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. It is found in the Palea ...

'' Linnaeus, 1758 – knot grass * '' Acronicta sagittata'' McDunnough, 1940 * '' Acronicta sinescripta'' Ferguson, 1989 * '' Acronicta sperata'' Grote, 1873 * '' Acronicta spinea'' (Grote, 1876) * '' Acronicta spinigera'' Guenée, 1852 – nondescript dagger moth * ''

Acronicta strigosa ''Acronicta strigosa'', the marsh dagger, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is distributed through most of Europe, east to the Caucasus, northern China, Korea and Japan. Technical description and variation ''A. strigosa'' F. (= ''favillacea ...

'' chiffermüller 1775 – marsh dagger * '' Acronicta strigulata'' Smith, 1897 * '' Acronicta subornata'' Leech, 1889 * '' Acronicta sugii'' (Kinoshita, 1990) * '' Acronicta superans'' Guenée, 1852 – splendid dagger moth * '' Acronicta theodora'' Schaus, 1894 * '' Acronicta thoracica'' Grote, 1880 * '' Acronicta tiena'' Püngeler, 1907 * ''

Acronicta tota ''Acronicta tota'' is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in North America, including Texas. External linksImage
Acronicta, tota Moths of North America Moths described in 1879 {{Acronictinae-stub ...

'' Grote, 1879 * ''

Acronicta tridens The dark dagger (''Acronicta tridens'') is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is distributed throughout Europe (from southern Fennoscandia to the Balkans and Ita ...

'' chiffermüller 1775 – dark dagger * '' Acronicta tristis'' Smith, 1911 * '' Acronicta tritona'' Hübner, 1879 – Triton dagger moth * '' Acronicta valliscola'' Blanchard, 1968Blanchard (1968). ''Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society'' 22: 133-145. * '' Acronicta vinnula'' Grote, 1864 – delightful dagger moth * '' Acronicta vulpina'' Grote, 1883 – miller dagger moth

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar , from=Q481988 Noctuoidea genera