Afflicted Dagger
Acronicta afflicta (Grote, 1864), fam. Noctuidae, P-no. 931419.77
Host plants: Feeds principally on oaks (Quercus spp.). Also reported on gum trees (Nyssa spp.).
Date found(s): September 17, 2026
Location(s) found: St. Louis County, MO
Notes: A visually similar and closely related species, Acronicta brumosa (charred dagger), has a single record (1913) from Missouri in the Heitzman database. The charred dagger is a more southerly species but does have more modern records from Arkansas, Oklahoma and southern Illinois. Larvae of the charred dagger can be distinguished from A. afflicta by the presence of two pairs of paddle-shaped dorsal setae per segment.
