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Acronicta fragilis

(Fragile Dagger)

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Fragile Dagger, Fragile Dagger Moth

Description

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Family Noctuidae

'The Noctuids are members of the Superfamily Noctuoidea. Worldwide in distribution, this family is the largest in the Lepidoptera and has approximately 20,000 species. About 2,900 of these are found in North America, and there is wide variation in appearance and behavior. Most moths are gray to brown in color and have line or spots on their wings . Some species are brightly colored . They are small to large in size, and most species are medium-sized with wingspans 2 - 4.5 cm. When at rest, adults of most species hold their wings above their bodies like a roof. Noctuids are typically nocturnal , though some species are diurnal . Most larvae feed on plant foliage , dead leaves, lichens, and fungi; many are serious forest pests. Some species are leaf miners, others are stem- or leaf-borers, and still others feed at night on plant shoots. Noctuid moths pupate in cells in soil, in plant cavities, or in silk cocoons .

'[1]

Physical Description

Species Acronicta fragilis

Forewing white with heavy gray and black shading. Am. And pm . Lines double , sharply zigzag. Orbicular spot gray to white with darker center. Hindwing yellowish white with faint gray median line and outer shading. (ref. 106825)

Size/Age/Growth

Wing span : 2.9-3.2 cm. (ref. 106825)

Biology

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Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Apple, birch, plum, willow, and white spruce trees . (ref. 106825)

Taxonomy

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Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Acronicta

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 48 species and subspecies in this genus:

A. afflicta (Afflicted Dagger Moth) · A. albarufa (Barrens Dagger Moth) · A. americana (American Dagger Moth) · A. betulae (Birch Dagger Moth) · A. brumosa (Afflicted Dagger Moth) · A. clarescens (Clear Dagger Moth) · A. connecta (Connected Dagger) · A. dactylina (Alder Dagger Moth) · A. exilis (Exiled Dagger Moth) · A. falcula (Corylus Dagger Moth) · A. fragilis (Fragile Dagger) · A. funeralis (Funerary Dagger Moth) · A. furcifera (Forked Dagger) · A. grisea (Gray Dagger) · A. haesitata (Hesitant Dagger) · A. hasta (Cherry Dagger Moth) · A. hastulifera (Frosted Dagger) · A. heitzmani (Heitzman's Dagger Moth) · A. impleta (Yellow-Haired Dagger Moth) · A. impressa (Printed Dagger) · A. inclara (Unclear Dagger Moth) · A. increta (Raspberry Bud Dagger Moth) · A. innotata (Birch Dagger Moth) · A. interrupta (Interrupted Dagger Moth) · A. laetifica (Pleasant Dagger Moth) · A. lanceolaria (Noctuid Moth) · A. leporina (Miller) · A. lepusculina (Cottonwood Dagger Moth) · A. lithospila (Streaked Dagger Moth) · A. lobeliae (Greater Oak Dagger Moth) · A. marmorata (Marble Dagger Moth) · A. modica (Medium Dagger Moth) · A. morula (Ochre Dagger Moth) · A. oblinita (Smeared Dagger Moth) · A. ovata (Ovate Dagger) · A. pruni (Prunus Dagger Moth) · A. radcliffei (Radcliffe's Dagger Moth) · A. retardata (Nondescript Dagger Moth) · A. rubricoma (Ruddy Dagger Moth) · A. rumicis (Knotgrass Moth) · A. spinigera (Nondescript Dagger Moth) · A. superans (Splendid Dagger) · A. thoracica (Acronicta Thoracica) · A. tridens (Dark Dagger) · A. tristis (Acronicta Tristis) · A. tritona (Noctuid Moth) · A. vinnula (Delightful Dagger) · A. vulpina (Miller Dagger)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal February 16, 2008:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy?f=34&sci=Noctuidae&com=Owlet Moths, Miller Moths [back]
Last Revised: 7/16/2012