Bug FAQEclipsed and Epauleted Oak Daggers and Allies
Acronicta increta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Eclipsed Oak Dagger
The raspberry bud dagger moth has a wingspan of about 28 to 36 mm and belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Acronicta increta is also called the raspberry bud dagger moth or peach sword stripe night moth.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan ranges from 28 to 36 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found throughout the southern parts of Canada and the United States, reaching as far south as Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars probably feed on oak (Quercus) leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from May to September, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults appear between May and September, varying with region.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Some authors treat Acronicta increta as the same species as Acronicta inclara.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 36 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Mississippi, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Michigan.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are adult raspberry bud dagger moths active?
Adults fly from May through September, depending on where they live.
Source: Wikipedia
Is Acronicta increta the same as Acronicta inclara?
Some experts consider them to be the same species.
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_increta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.