Bug FAQInterrupted Dagger
Acronicta interrupta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Interrupted Dagger Moth
Source: Wikipedia
The interrupted dagger moth has a wingspan of about 35 to 42 mm. It lives across southern Canada and the northern United States, from the Atlantic provinces west to Alberta and south to states such as Georgia, Nebraska and Arizona. The larvae eat leaves of apple, cherry, oak, willow and several other trees and shrubs, which can harm cultivated plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Acronicta interrupta belongs to the Noctuidae family of moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure 35 to 42 mm across the wings.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in southern Canada south of the boreal forest and extends into the United States as far south as Georgia, Nebraska and Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on a variety of trees and shrubs such as apple, apricot, birch, cherry, elm, oak, plum and willow.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In the southern part of its range it can have two or more generations each year, while farther north it usually has only one.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adult moths are on the wing from April through August or September, depending on location.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes southern Canadian provinces and northern U.S. states, matching the habitat description.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 42 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, North Carolina, Connecticut, New York, Minnesota.
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
Questions people ask
What plants do the larvae eat?
The caterpillars feed on leaves of apple, apricot, birch, cherry, elm, oak, plum, willow and several other trees and shrubs.
Source: Wikipedia
When are adult interrupted dagger moths active?
Adults fly from April until August or September, with timing varying by region.
Source: Wikipedia
Where is the interrupted dagger moth found?
It occurs across southern Canada and the northern United States, from New Brunswick west to Alberta and south to Georgia, Nebraska and Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
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_interrupta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.