Bug FAQFunerary Dagger
Acronicta funeralis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Funerary Dagger Moth
The funerary dagger moth (Acronicta funeralis) is a noctuid moth with a wingspan of about 32 to 40 mm. It lives in scattered parts of North America from central Canada down to the southern United States and the West Coast. Adults are on the wing from May to August and may produce one or two generations per year, more in the south.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The funerary dagger moth, also called the paddle caterpillar, belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures about 32 to 40 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In southern areas it can have two or more generations each year, while farther north it usually has one or two.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults fly from May through August, depending on where they live.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to North America, ranging from Canada’s Manitoba and Nova Scotia down to the United States as far south as Maryland and west to California and British Columbia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 38 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Michigan, Maine, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi, Texas.
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 funerary dagger moths active?
Adults are on the wing from May to August, varying with location.
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_funeralis
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.