Acronicta hasta, the forked dagger moth, speared dagger moth, cherry dagger moth or dart dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found in North America in the eastern deciduous woodlands, ranging west across southern Saskatchewan and Alberta into central southern British Columbia, south to Tennessee, Wisconsin and Kansas.
Acronicta hasta | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
Family: | Noctuidae |
Genus: | Acronicta |
Species: | A. hasta
|
Binomial name | |
Acronicta hasta Guenée, 1852
| |
Synonyms | |
|
Acronicta furcifera was considered a separate species until 1998, but is now considered a synonym.
The wingspan is 35–45 mm. Adults are on wing from April to September depending on the location. There are two or more generations per year in the south and one or two in the north.
The larvae feed on cherry, oak and plum.
Subspecies
edit- Acronicta hasta hasta
- Acronicta hasta telum
- Acronicta hasta manitoba (Western Canada)
External links
edit- Anweiler, G. G. (2007). "Species Details Acronicta hasta". University of Alberta Museums. E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- Bartlett, Troy (January 10, 2020). "Species Acronicta hasta - Speared Dagger Moth - Hodges#9229". BugGuide. Retrieved October 20, 2020.