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Digital Guide to Moth Identification

Noctuidae 931421 – 9200   Acronicta americana (Harris, 1841)              American Dagger

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© Mark Dreiling - DNA Large Map & Chart Report Errors About Maps

Larva and Host Plants: Host familiy: Betulaceae Cornaceae Cupressaceae Ericaceae Fabaceae Fagaceae Hamamelidaceae Juglandaceae Malvaceae[..  Host genera: Acer Aesculus Alnus Amelanchier Betula Caragana Carpinus Carya Castanea Cercis Cornus Corylus Cratae...  Host extended: polyphagous on trees & shrubs (Forbes 1954); generalist on wide variety of hardwood trees and shrubs...  (Kimberley & Douglas 2025) Similar Species: Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.) Synonymy: americana (Harris, 1841) (Apatela) - MONA 1983: 9200; TL: [Massachusetts], [MCZ?]. acericola (Guenée, 1852) (Acronycta) eldora (Smith, 1905) (Acronycta) obscura (Edwards, 1886) (Apatela)

References (Caution: DNA barcoding at BOLD provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.)

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: Identifications often erroneous; DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification; many specimens not sequenced. Hall et al., 2021. The Moths of North Carolina - website (identification, habitats and life history) Schmidt, B.C. & G.G. Anweiler, 2020. Noctuidae (Part) Pantheinae, Raphiinae, Balsinae, Acronictinae. The Moths of North America, Fascicle 25.4: 155; pl. A-10, figs. 6-13 (adult); pl. 20, fig. 2 (♂ gen.); pl. 38, fig. 2 (♀ gen.); pl. L-7, fig. 6 (larva) (order). Shropshire, K.J. & D.W. Tallamy, 2025. Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. ZooKeys, 1261: 101-113; Suppl. 1. (PDF or read online) Species Page at Block Island Moths Species Page at BugGuide.Net Species Page at E. H. Strickland Museum Species Page at Mass Moths Species Page at Pacific Northwest Moths Species Page at iNaturalist

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