Vulpina Dagger Moth

A fairly common and widespread species; no concerns.

Adults have been collected in Alberta from late May through early July.

New York and Newfoundland west to central BC, south to Colorado. In Alberta found throughout the wooded areas, north into the southern Boreal forest and the Peace River region; also in the Cypress Hills.

A medium-size (4.0-4.4 cm wingspan) chalky white moth lightly dusted with gray scales. The normal lines are reduced to a few black spots where they would meet the costa and a series of small dots marking the terminal line. Other markings include a short basal streak, a few dark scales at the orbicular, a small crescent for the reniform. Several small spots or streaks on the upper half, and a larger black blotch and streak in the anal angle indicate the subterminal line. The hindwings are white with a small discal mark and a series of black spots along the margin at the veins. Sexes similar but females with a few more dark scales, especially along the veins of the hindwings. Very similar to and easily confused with A. lepusculina, which is pale grey instead of white, and has more complete wing markings. Vulpina is the whitest of our Dagger moths. Until very recently Vulpina was treated as a subspecies of the Old World species leporina, but has since been shown to be a separate species, with both species occurring together in eastern Russia. The Alberta population is usually referred to subspecies cretatoides Benjamin.

Mature deciduous and mixed wood forest; urban plantations.

Acronicta vulpina is a solitary defoliator. There is a single brood each year, which overwinters as pupae. The adults come to both light and sugar bait. The larvae are covered with long soft pale yellow hair, pointing forward on one side and backward on the other, due to the habit of resting with the body doubled sideways. There are several small hair pencils, white and black, which do not exceed the length of the yellow hair.

No specific Alberta data; Canadian records (which includes Alberta data) list Aspen poplar (Populus tremuloides), White birch (Betula papyrifera), Balsam poplar (Populus basamifera), willow (Salix sp.) and Speckled alder (Alnus rugosa) (1 record only) with aspen and White birch most frequently recorded (Prentice, 1962).

Acronicta vulpina, the vulpina dagger moth or miller dagger moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1883. It is found in North America from New York and Newfoundland west to central British Columbia, south to Colorado.

It was formerly considered a subspecies of Acronicta leporina (both species occur in eastern Russia).

The wingspan is 40–47 mm. Adults are on wing from May to July depending on the location.

The larvae feed on Populus tremuloides, Betula papyrifera, Populus balsamifera Alnus rugosa and Salix species.