FUNERARY DAGGER
Acronicta funeralis
OWLET MOTHS (Noctuidae)
It is black with large oval-shaped yellow and black dorsal spots. Emanating from each spot is a pair of long black hairs with flat tips that resemble paddles. It grows to 1 3/8 inches (3.5 centimeters). The first 3 instars are bird-dropping mimics that are colored brown and white. The adult moth, the Funerary Dagger, has a wingspan of about 1.50 inches (4 centimeters). The forewing is longitudinally bicolored light gray on the costal two-thirds and black along the inner third. The hindwing is white in the basal half, shading to gray on the distal half with dark gray veins.
This is an uncommon species that occurs in Canada from Manitoba to Nova Scotia and in the US from Maine south to Georgia, North Dakota to Kansas and and the far western states. The caterpillar has been photographed in Fontenelle Forest on September 1, 2016. Adults fly from May to August and most caterpillars are found from July and August.
The caterpillars feed on the leaves of alder, apple, birch, blueberry, cottonwood, dogwood, elm, hickory, maple, oak and willow. Pupation usually occurs in soft wood. Photo A shows the caterpillar surrounded by sawdust, presumably attempting to excavate a pupal chamber. This caterpillar is also known as Paddle Dagger.
Disclaimer: The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Babs Padelford.