Acronicta genus of noctuid moths containing about 150 species distributed mainly in the temperate Holarctic, with some in adjacent subtropical regions. Caterpillars of most Acronicta species are unmistakable, with brightly colored hairy spikes, and often feed quite visibly on common foliate trees. The larva of the Smeared Dagger Moth (A. oblinita ) is unusually hairy even for this genus [1]. Acronicta species are generally known as dagger moths , as most have one or more black dagger -shaped markings on their forewing uppersides. But some species have a conspicuous dark ring marking instead.
Eyes naked and without eyelashes. Proboscis fully developed. Antennae simple in both sexes. Thorax and abdomen tuftless. Abdomen with long coarse hair on the dorsal part of proximal segments. Legs spineless. Fore wings with non-crenulate cilia. Inner margin slightly lobed towards base.
The following species are classified in the genus.
Acronicta aceris Linnaeus , 1758Acronicta adaucta Warren, 1909 Acronicta afflicta Grote, 1864 – Afflicted Dagger MothAcronicta albarufa Grote, 1874 Acronicta albistigma Hampson, 1909 Acronicta alni Linnaeus, 1767 – Alder MothAcronicta americana Harris, 1841 – American Dagger MothAcronicta atristrigatus J.B. Smith, 1900 (alternative spelling Acronicta atristrigata )Acronicta auricoma [Schiffermüller], 1775 – Scarce DaggerAcronicta australis (Mustelin & Leuschner, 2000) Acronicta barnesii Smith, 1897 Acronicta beameri Todd, 1958 Acronicta bellula Alpheraky, 1895 Acronicta betulae Riley, 1884 – Birch Dagger MothAcronicta bicolor Moore, 1881 Acronicta browni Mustelin & Leuschner, 2000 Acronicta brumosa Guenée, 1852 – Charred Dagger MothAcronicta carbonaria Graeser, 1889 Acronicta catocaloida Graeser, 1889 Acronicta centralis Erschoff, 1874 Acronicta cinerea Hufnagel, 1766 Acronicta clarescens Guenée, 1852 – Clear Dagger MothAcronicta concrepta Draudt 1937 Acronicta connecta Grote, 1873 – Connected Dagger MothAcronicta cuspis Hübner, [1813] – Large DaggerAcronicta cyanescens Hampson, 1909 Acronicta dahurica Kononenko & Han, 2008 Acronicta dactylina Grote, 1874 – Fingered Dagger MothAcronicta denticulata Moore Acronicta digna Butler, 1881 Acronicta dinawa Bethune-Baker, 1906 Acronicta dolli (Barnes & McDunnough, 1918) Acronicta edolata Grote, 1881 Acronicta euphorbiae [Schiffermüller], 1775 – Sweet Gale MothAcronicta exempta Dyar, 1922 Acronicta exilis Grote, 1874 – Exiled Dagger MothAcronicta extricata Grote, 1882 Acronicta falcula Grote, 1877 Acronicta fragilis Guénée, 1852 – Fragile Dagger MothAcronicta funeralis Grote & Robinson, 1866 – Funerary Dagger MothAcronicta gastridia Swinhoe, 1895 Acronicta grisea Walker, 1856 – Gray Dagger MothAcronicta haesitata Grote, 1882 – Hesitant Dagger MothAcronicta hamamelis Guenée, 1852 (syn: Acronicta subochrea Grote, 1874 ) – Witch Hazel Dagger MothAcronicta hasta Guenée, 1852 – Speared Dagger MothAcronicta hastulifera J.E. Smith, 1797 – Frosted Dagger MothAcronicta heitzmani Covell & Metzler, 1992 – Heitzman's Dagger MothAcronicta hercules Felder & Rogenhofer, 1874 Acronicta impleta Walker, 1856 – Yellow-haired Dagger MothAcronicta impressa Walker, 1856 – Impressed Dagger MothAcronicta inclara Smith, 1900 – Unclear Dagger MothAcronicta increta Morrison, 1974 – Raspberry Bud DaggerAcronicta innotata Guenée, 1852 – Unmarked Dagger MothAcronicta insita Walker, 1856 Acronicta intermedia Warren, 1909 Acronicta interrupta Guenée, 1852 – Interrupted Dagger MothAcronicta iria Swinhoe, 1899 Acronicta jozana Matsumura, 1926 Acronicta laetifica Smith, 1897 – Pleasant Dagger MothAcronicta lanceolaria Grote, 1875 – Lanceolate Dagger MothAcronicta lepetita Smith, 1908 Acronicta leporina Linnaeus, 1758 – The MillerAcronicta lepusculina Guenée, 1852 – Cottonwood Dagger MothAcronicta leucocuspis Butler, 1878 Acronicta lithospila Grote, 1874 – Streaked Dagger MothAcronicta lobeliae Guenée, 1852 – Lobelia Dagger Moth, Greater Oak Dagger MothAcronicta longa Guenée, 1852 – Long-winged Dagger MothAcronicta lupini Grote, 1873 (syn: Acronicta ursina (Smith, 1898) , Acronicta atlinensis (Barnes & Benjamin, 1927 )Acronicta lutea Bremer & Grey 1852 Acronicta major Bremer, 1861 Acronicta mansueta Smith, 1897 Acronicta marmorata Smith, 1897 – Marble Dagger MothAcronicta megacephala [Schiffermüller], 1775 – Poplar GreyAcronicta menyanthidis Esper, 1789 – Light Knot GrassAcronicta metaxantha Hampson, 1909 Acronicta modica Walker, 1856 – Medium Dagger MothAcronicta morula Grote & Robinson, 1868 – Ochre Dagger MothAcronicta nigricans Leech, 1900 Acronicta noctivaga Grote, 1864 – Night-wandering Dagger MothAcronicta oblinita Smith, 1797 (syn: Acronicta arioch Strecker, 1898 ) – Smeared Dagger MothAcronicta omorii Matsumura, 1926 Acronicta orientalis Mann, 1862 Acronicta othello Smith, 1908 Acronicta ovata Grote, 1873 – Ovate Dagger MothAcronicta parallela Grote, 1879 Acronicta pasiphae Draudt, 1936 Acronicta paupercula Grote, 1874 Acronicta perblanda Ferguson, 1989 Acronicta perdita Grote, 1874 Acronicta pruinosa Guenée, 1852 Acronicta psi Linnaeus, 1758 – Grey DaggerAcronicta psichinesis Kononenko & Han, 2008 Acronicta psorallina Lower, 1903 Acronicta pulverosa Hampson 1909 Acronicta quadrata Smith, 1908 Acronicta radcliffei Harvey, 1875 – Radcliffe's Dagger MothAcronicta raphael Oberthur 1884 Acronicta rapidan Dyar, 1912 Acronicta retardata Walker, 1861 (syn: Acronicta caesarea Smith, 1905 ) – Retarded Dagger MothAcronicta rubiginosa Walker, 1862 Acronicta rubricoma Guenée, 1852 – Ruddy Dagger MothAcronicta rumicis Linnaeus, 1758 – Knot GrassAcronicta sagittata McDunnough, 1940 Acronicta sinescripta Ferguson, 1989 Acronicta sperata Grote, 1873 Acronicta spinea (Grote, 1876) Acronicta spinigera Guenée, 1852 – Nondescript Dagger MothAcronicta strigosa [Schiffermüller], 1775 – Marsh DaggerAcronicta strigulata Smith, 1897 Acronicta subornata Leech, 1889 Acronicta sugii (Kinoshita, 1990) Acronicta superans Guenée, 1852 – Splendid Dagger MothAcronicta theodora Schaus, 1894 Acronicta thoracica Grote, 1880 Acronicta tiena Püngeler, 1907 Acronicta tota Grote, 1879 Acronicta tridens [Schiffermüller], 1775 – Dark DaggerAcronicta tristis Smith, 1911 Acronicta tritona Hübner, 1879 – Triton Dagger MothAcronicta valliscola Blanchard, 1968 Acronicta vinnula Grote, 1864 – Delightful Dagger MothAcronicta vulpina Grote, 1883 – Miller Dagger Moth
