Bug FAQBlack-girdled Dart
Anicla tepperi · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Black-girdled Dart Moth
The black-girdled dart (Anicla tepperi) is a moth in the Noctuidae family, first described by Smith in 1888. Adults have a wingspan of about 36 to 40 mm and fly in early summer, typically from June to July. Its larvae feed on grasses in the Poaceae family, and the species produces one generation each year.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Anicla tepperi is a moth species in the Noctuidae family described by Smith in 1888.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 36 to 40 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on grasses belonging to the Poaceae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There is one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from June through July, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers the same North American region described for its habitat.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 9 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Colorado, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Arizona.
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
When are adult black-girdled darts active?
Adults fly in early summer, usually from June to July.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
It produces one generation per year.
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/Anicla_tepperi
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.