Pleasant Dagger
Acronicta laetifica (Smith, 1897), fam. Noctuidae, P-no. 931444
Host plants: Feeds solely on woody members of the Betulaceae family, namely musclewood (Carpinus caroliniana) and ironwood (Ostrya virginiana).
Date found(s): September 4, 2026
Location(s) found: Hawn State Park, Ste Genevieve County, MO
Notes: Host plant preferences for the pleasant dagger are not as cut and dry as many of our lepidopterans. Some authoritative sources, particularly historical references, list either hickory (Carya) or woody Rosaceae members as hosts. However, modern surveys have only found this species utilizing the above-mentioned members of the Betulaceae as hosts. It is unclear whether these discrepancies are related to changes in host preferences, or if previous documentation may refer to incorrectly identifying the moth species.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 