Biology:Acronicta insita

From HandWiki
Short description: Species of moth

Acronicta insita
Acronicta insita - inat 10717917.jpg
Acronicta insita, fingered dagger, Washington
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Noctuoidea
Family: Noctuidae
Genus: Acronicta
Species:
A. insita
Binomial name
Acronicta insita
Grote, 1874
Synonyms[1]

Acronycta dactylina Grote, 1874 Acronycta denvera Smith, 1905 Acronycta hesperida Smith, 1897

Acronicta insita, fingered dagger, Canada

Acronicta insita, the large gray dagger or fingered dagger, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1874.[2][3] It is found from Newfoundland west to the Pacific coast and Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, south to North Carolina and Colorado.

Acronicta hesperida and Acronicta dactylina were formerly considered to be separate species,[4] but are now considered a synonym.[5]

The wingspan is 45–55 mm. Adults are on wing from May to July in one generation depending on the location.

The larvae feed on alder, birch, poplar, hawthorn and willow.

They have fine hairs that are actually hollow, containing a toxin within. If direct contact is made through handling or even indirect contact through clothing, shaking a tree branch with a alder dagger caterpillar on it can result in exposure to these fine hairs. Mild to severe rashes may appear for up to a week and may spread easily to other areas of the body through clothing rubbing on exposed area or scratching. Some people react more seriously while others have no reaction at all. Applying strong adhesive tape to the area immediately after exposure may help to remove the fine hairs from your skin/clothes.

References

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q4676292 entry