Bug FAQAmerican Dagger
Acronicta americana · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: American Dagger Moth
Source: Wikipedia
It lives in deciduous woodlands across North America, flying from April through September, with one generation in the north and up to three in the south. While it does not bite or sting, the larval hairs have been reported to irritate skin.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults show a sharp double line across the wing with a white gap, and a black dash near the base of the forewing.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 50 to 65 mm (about 2.0 to 2.6 in). Caterpillars reach about 50 mm (2 in) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
The hairs of the caterpillar can irritate skin, but there is no venom or biting behavior.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found in deciduous woodlands and forests.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
One brood in northern parts of its range, two to three broods farther south.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from April through September.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Native to North America and first described in 1841 by Thaddeus William Harris.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 48 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, Georgia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Do American dagger moths bite or sting?
No, they do not bite or sting, though the caterpillar’s hairs may cause skin irritation.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the moths look like?
Adults have a distinct double post-median line with white between them and a black dash on the forewing’s anal area.
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
Armyworm MothPseudaletia unipunctaDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acronicta_americana
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.