Bug FAQHackberry Dagger
Acronicta rubricoma · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Ruddy Dagger, Ruddy Dagger Moth
Source: Wikipedia
Adults have a wingspan of about 38 to 44 mm. There are two generations each year, and adults fly from April through October depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Acronicta rubricoma, called the ruddy dagger moth, belongs to the Noctuidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan ranges from 38 to 44 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives from southern Ontario and New York down to central Florida, and west to Texas and eastern Kansas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on the leaves of elm, hackberry and sumac trees.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species produces two generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from April to October, varying with location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes the eastern United States and parts of southern Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 33 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Virginia.
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 can I see adult ruddy dagger moths?
Adults are active from April through October, depending on where you live.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
There are two generations per year.
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_rubricoma
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.