Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244
Acronicta modica
This record describes Acronicta modica (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Adult: forewing medium gray with AM and PM line usually conspicuously double; basal dash thick but usually not touching small blackish blotch at middle of AM line; hindwing grayish-brown [description by Charles Covell] Genitalia: Larva: greenish-, yellowish-, orangish-, or pinkish-brown with white setae along sides of body; head pinkish-tan, mottled; dorsum of last thoracic and anterior abdominal segments with irregular white blotches and interrupted middorsal stripe; rear segments with yellowish subdorsal splotches; rests with head against side of abdomen in leaf shelter [description by David Wagner and Valerie Giles] Several closely-related Acronicta species ( albarufa, inclara, increta, modica, ovata ) also on oaks with similarly-marked caterpillars
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Acronictinae
- Genus
- Acronicta (Dagger Moths)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Nova Scotia to South Carolina, west to Texas, north to Ontario
Seasonal Activity
adults fly from April to August or September; peak numbers in June and July larvae from June to October
Diet and Behavior
Diet: larvae feed on leaves of Red Oak and White Oak
Life History
two generations per year in the south; one in the north
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Acronicta modica. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Robin McLeod; Additional contributions by Ethan Kistler , marcie oconnor , Blocky , Robert H. Biagi
Frequently Asked Questions About Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244
What is Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244?
Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244 (Acronicta modica) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How big is Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244?
wingspan 30-43 mm
How do you identify Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244?
Adult: forewing medium gray with AM and PM line usually conspicuously double; basal dash thick but usually not touching small blackish blotch at middle of AM line; hindwing grayish-brown [description by Charles Covell] Genitalia: Larva: greenish-, yellowish-, orangish-, or pinkish-brown with white setae along sides of body; head pinkish-tan, mottled; dorsum of last thoracic and anterior abdominal segments with irregular white blotches and interrupted middorsal stripe; rear segments with yellowish subdorsal splotches; rests with head against side of abdomen in leaf shelter [description by David Wagner and Valerie Giles] Several closely-related Acronicta species ( albarufa, inclara, increta, modica, ovata ) also on oaks with similarly-marked caterpillars
Where is Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244 found?
Range: Nova Scotia to South Carolina, west to Texas, north to Ontario
What does Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244 eat?
The diet of the Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244 includes larvae feed on leaves of Red Oak and White Oak.
When is Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244 active?
Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244: seasonal activity - adults fly from April to August or September; peak numbers in June and July larvae from June to October.
What is the life cycle of a Hesitant Dagger - Hodges#9244?
two generations per year in the south; one in the north