Bug FAQNondescript Dagger
Acronicta spinigera · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Acronicta spinigera, called the nondescript dagger moth, is a member of the Noctuidae family. Its wingspan measures about 40 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The scientific name of the nondescript dagger moth is Acronicta spinigera.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan is roughly 40 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs in southeastern Canada, specifically Quebec and Ontario, and in the eastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In the southern part of the range, adults can be seen from April to September.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight season spans May-July up north and April-September down south.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes southeastern Canada and the eastern United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 23 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi, Georgia, Iowa.
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_spinigera
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.