Bug FAQAfflicted and Marbled Oak Daggers and Allies
Acronicta afflicta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Afflicted Dagger, Afflicted Dagger Moth
Source: Wikipedia
The moth has a wingspan of about 36 mm. Adults are seen flying from May through September, depending on where they live. It occurs in parts of Canada, the United States and northern Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Acronicta afflicta, known as the afflicted dagger moth, belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures roughly 36 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in Canadian provinces such as Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario, as well as many U.S. states and northern Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on several species of oak (Quercus).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May to September, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period spans late spring through early fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes eastern Canada and the eastern United States, extending into northern Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 39 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult moths active?
Adults fly from May through September, depending on the region.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found?
It occurs in parts of Canada, the United States and northern Mexico.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronicta_afflicta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.