Acronicta oblinita
| Acronicta oblinita | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Acronicta |
| Species: | A. oblinita
|
| Binomial name | |
| Acronicta oblinita (J. E. Smith, 1797)
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Acronicta oblinita, the smeared dagger moth or arioch dagger, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. Its larva, the smartweed caterpillar, has urticating hairs.[1] The species was first described by James Edward Smith in 1797.[2][3]
Description
[edit | edit source]The smeared dagger moth adult has a wingspan of 3.6–5.4 centimetres (1.4–2.1 in).[1] The forewings have a mottled gray appearance, with orbicular and reniform spots on each dorsal surface that are incompletely outlined and indistinct.[1] Smeared-appearing dark wedge spots are present along the postmedial line with their apices pointed inward.[4] There is a terminal line of dark spots on the forewing.[1] The hindwings are white and also have small dark spots along their terminal line.[1]
The larva is a caterpillar up to 4 centimetres (1.6 in) long that bears numerous tufts of irritating setae on wart-like protuberances along its thoracic and abdominal segments.[1] There are bright yellow blotches in the shape of carets (inverted "V" shapes) between the laterally-positioned spiracles.[1][5]
Range
[edit | edit source]The smeared dagger moth is found across Canada as far north as Lake Athabasca.[6] In the United States, the moth is found in the Pacific Northwest[4] and east of the Rocky Mountains south to Florida and Texas.[6][7]
Habitat
[edit | edit source]Habitats include bogs and coastal marshes in the Pacific Northwest[4] and wetlands, forests and meadows more generally.[6] Individuals have been collected in boreal forests in Canada.[6]
Life cycle
[edit | edit source]
The smeared dagger moth has one to two generations per year.[1][8] In the coastal plain of North Carolina, adults can be seen beginning in early March through late June and again from mid-August until early October.[8] Caterpillars may pupate within folded leaves of their host plant.[9] Overwintering occurs as pupae.[1]
Host plants
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Larval hosts:
- Salix spp.[6]
- Alnus spp.[6]
- Fragaria spp.[6]
- Typha spp.[6]
- Chamaenerion angustifolium[6]
- Polygonum spp.[4][9]
References
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External links
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- Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons
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