Bug FAQGentle Dagger
Acronicta mansueta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The gentle dagger moth has a wingspan of about 30 to 32 mm. It is native to western North America, from southern Saskatchewan and British Columbia down to Colorado and California.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The adult’s wingspan measures roughly 30 to 32 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It inhabits western North America, ranging from southern Saskatchewan and British Columbia southward to Colorado and California.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from June through September, varying by region.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is the same western North American area.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 10 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Colorado, Montana, Utah, California, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, 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
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_mansueta
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.