Cottonwood Dagger Moth – Acronicta lepusculina

Cottonwood Dagger Moth   Scientific Name: Acronicta lepusculina Common Name:  Cottonwood dagger moth Appearance:    Cottonwood dagger moth is known for its exotic larval appearance. The larva is long and covered in yellow hairs with a few tufts of black hairs in between. It develops into an adult moth with white forewings and a wingspan of 40 to 50 mm. The forewings also have three black spots and a basal dash.   Host Plants or Food:   Cottonwood dagger moth mainly feeds on poplus species, particularly trembling aspen, balsam poplar, and cottonwood. Additionally, it also feeds on some willow and birch species. Territory: Throughout North America, Eastern USA, Western USA Mode of Damage:  The larvae are leaf chewers and feed on the tall, old willow and poplar trees. Habits and Life History: Cottonwood dagger moth is found on riverbanks and floodplains with a large number of poplar trees. Adult moths may be seen from April to September or from May to August. The female lays eggs on the underside of the leaves, which hatches into a fluffy, tufted larva. The larva actively feeds on the leaves of poplar and willow trees, defoliating them in the process until it has matured enough for pupation. Once it transforms into a pupa, it goes dormant for the entire winter season and emerges as an adult after overwintering. It produces 1 or 2 generations per year.