Bug FAQMaple Dagger
Acronicta retardata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Also called: Retarded Dagger, Retarded Dagger Moth
Source: Wikipedia
Maple dagger moths have a wingspan of about 25 to 32 mm. Adults fly from April through August, and there are several generations each year. The species lives across eastern North America, from Nova Scotia down to Florida and west to Texas and Manitoba.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Adults are active between April and August, varying by location.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The moth’s wingspan ranges from 25 to 32 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars eat the leaves of red and sugar maples.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
There are multiple generations each year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from April through August, depending on where they live.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes eastern Canada and the United States, extending from Nova Scotia to Florida and west to Texas and Manitoba.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 38 of 51 states and DC. Most records: North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky.
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
When can I see adult maple dagger moths?
Adults are active from April to August, with timing varying by location.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations does this moth have each year?
It produces several generations annually.
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_retardata
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.