INTERRUPTED DAGGER
Acronicta interrupta
OWLET MOTHS (Noctuidae)
Description
The Interrupted Dagger moth has a wingspan of about 1.5 inches (3.5 - 4.2 mm). The forewing is light to medium gray with a basal dash that merges into an indistinct, incomplete antemedial line. The white-edged postmedial line is crossed by a thin, black anal dash. The fringe is checkered with dark scales between veins. The hindwing of the male is dirty white darkening near the outer margin. The hindwing of the female is light gray with a faint postmedial band. The caterpillar is red, white and blue-gray with paired middorsal red spots. It has a broad white subdorsal stripe. The head is dark reddish-brown. It grows to 1 5/8 inch (4 cm).
Occurrence
The frequency of occurrence at Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods is not known. One individual has been photographed at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center in early May 2012. Adults fly from April through August.
Comments
The larvae feed on the leaves of many plants including apple, birch, cherry, crabapple, elm, hawthorn, hop-hornbeam, oak, plum and serviceberry.
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is: Babs Padelford.
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