Bug FAQConnected Dagger
Acronicta connecta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Connected Dagger Moth
The connected dagger moth has a wingspan of about 30 to 40 mm. It lives across the United States from the Great Lakes and New England down to Florida and west to Texas and Utah. Adults fly from May through August, and the caterpillars eat willow leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Acronicta connecta, called the connected dagger moth, belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 30 to 40 mm (1.2 to 1.6 in).
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on the leaves of willow (Salix) species.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May to August, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period for adults spans May through August, varying with region.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers the same area in the United States, from the Great Lakes and New England down to Florida and west to Texas and Utah.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Michigan, Mississippi, Florida, Ohio, Georgia, Oklahoma, Montana.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult connected dagger moths active?
Adults are on the wing from May to August, with exact timing depending on where they live.
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_connecta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.