Smeared dagger moth

Acronicta oblinita

''Acronicta oblinita'', the smeared dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west across Canada to British Columbia, north to Lake Athabasca and south to Florida and Texas.
Acronicta oblinita Acronicta oblinita found feeding on Tear-thumb (Polygonum sagitattum) in a forest that has drowned as groundwater levels rose. Acronicta oblinita,Arctiinae,Geotagged,Lepidoptera,Summer,United States,caterpillar,insect,moth larva

Appearance

The wingspan is 36–54 mm. Adults are on wing from May to July in one generation depending on the location. The fore wing is brown and the hind wing is off-white. Specimens from the southern states are larger and much paler than typical specimens from further north.
Acronicta oblinita Acronicta oblinita found feeding on Tear-thumb (Polygonum sagitattum) in a forest that has drowned as groundwater levels rose. Acronicta oblinita,Arctiinae,Geotagged,Lepidoptera,Summer,United States,caterpillar,insect,moth larva

Food

The larvae feed on various forbs, shrubs, and trees. They are considered an occasional pest in the fruit industry due to defoliation of the host plants.

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderLepidoptera
FamilyNoctuidae
GenusAcronicta
SpeciesA. oblinita