Bug FAQDelightful Dagger
Acronicta vinnula · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Delightful Dagger Moth
The delightful dagger moth has a wingspan of about 28 to 32 millimeters. It lives across eastern North America, from Nova Scotia down to Florida and west to Texas, reaching as far north as Wisconsin and Ontario. Its caterpillars feed on elm leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Acronicta vinnula, called the delightful dagger moth, belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults have a wingspan ranging from 28 to 32 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae eat the leaves of elm trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are active from April through August, and there are at least two generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Moths can be seen on the wing between April and August, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range covers eastern Canada and the eastern United States, including the states and provinces listed above.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is a member of the Noctuidae family, which includes many similar-looking moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Florida.
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 can I see adult delightful dagger moths?
Adults are on the wing from April to August, varying by region.
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_vinnula
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.