Bug FAQLong-winged Dagger and Allies
Acronicta longa · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Long-winged Dagger, Long-winged Dagger Moth
Adults have a wingspan of about 32 to 44 mm. They occur across much of North America, from Nova Scotia and Alberta down to Florida and Texas. The caterpillars eat birch, blackberry, oak and willow, potentially damaging those plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 32 mm to 44 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Found across much of North America, including Nova Scotia, Alberta, Florida and Texas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 35 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Ohio, Virginia, Mississippi, Kansas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on birch, blackberry, oak and willow.
Source: Wikipedia
How large is the Long-winged Dagger and Allies?
Adults have a wingspan of about 32 to 44 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is this moth found?
It occurs across much of North America, from Nova Scotia and Alberta down to Florida and Texas.
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_longa
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.