Acronicta oblinita (Smeared Dagger Moth)

Overview

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9272 - Smartweed Caterpillar - Acronicta oblinita (Smeared Dagger Moth)

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

Smeared Dagger Moth, Smeared Gagger 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 .

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Physical Description

Species Acronicta oblinita

Forewing more narrow and pointed than in other North American dagger moths. Forewing pale to medium gray; obscure broken lines and spot outlines blend with general dark streaking . Note sharp black dotted terminal lines on all wings . Hindwing shiny white. (ref. 106811)

Size/Age/Growth

Wing span : 3.6-5.4 cm. (ref. 106811)

Biology

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Diet

Caterpillar hosts: Apple and other fruit trees , clover, corn, cotton, elms, grasses, pines, oaks, smartweed, strawberry plants , and willows. (ref. 106811)

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota () - Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Animalia () - C. Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
  - Subkingdom: Bilateria () - (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983
    - Branch: Protostomia () - Grobben, 1908
      - Infrakingdom: Ecdysozoa () - A.M.A. Aguinaldo et al., 1997 ex T. Cavalier-Smith, 1998
        Superphylum: Panarthropoda () - Cuvier
        Phylum: Arthropoda () - Latreille, 1829 - Arthropods
        Subphylum: Mandibulata () - Snodgrass, 1938
        Infraphylum: Atelocerata () - Heymons, 1901
        Superclass: Panhexapoda ()
        Epiclass: Hexapoda ()
        Class: Insecta () - C. Linnaeus, 1758 - Insects
        Subclass: Dicondylia ()
        Infraclass: Pterygota ()
        Cohort: Myoglossata ()
        Superorder: Amphiesmenoptera ()
        Order: Lepidoptera () - Linnaeus, 1758 - Butterflies and Moths
        Infraorder: Heteroneura ()
        Superfamily: Noctuoidea ()
        Family: Noctuidae () - - Owlet Moths
        Group: Noctuinina ()
        Subfamily: Acronictinae ()
        Genus: Acronicta () - Ochsenheimer, 1816
        Specific name: oblinita - (J E Smith, 1797)
        Scientific name: - Acronicta oblinita (J E Smith, 1797)