Noctuidae

Acronicta fragilis Fragile Dagger

20 n=67 • • High Mt. • • N 10 •• u • • m • • b • e 0 • r 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 • 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 NC counties: 13 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec o 20 f n=38 • = Sighting or Collection Low Mt. High counts of: in NC since 2001 F = Not seen since 2001 l 10 18 - Ashe - 2000-06-01 • i 10 - Macon - 1998-06-01 g Status Rank h 3 - Ashe - 2011-07-04 0 NC US NC Global t 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 D Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec a 20 20 t n=0 n=0 e Pd CP s 10 10

0 0 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 15 5 25 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Three periods to each month: 1-10 / 11-20 / 21-31 FAMILY: SUBFAMILY: TRIBE: TAXONOMIC_COMMENTS: One of 74 species in this genus found in North America north of Mexico (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020), 42 of which have been recorded in North Carolina. Fragilis is a member of Species Group II of Forbes (1954), which includes 17 additional species in North Carolina.

FIELD GUIDE DESCRIPTIONS: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012) ONLINE PHOTOS: TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, ADULTS: Forbes (1954); Schmidt and Anweiler (2020) TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION, IMMATURE STAGES:

ID COMMENTS:

DISTRIBUTION: Please refer to the dot map.

FLIGHT COMMENT: Please refer to the flight charts.

HABITAT: Schmidt and Anweiler (2020) describe this species as associated with cool, temperate, moist-to-wet woodland habitats. Our records come from alluvial and cove forests at low elevations in the Mountains and more commonly in high elevation forests.

FOOD: Larvae feed on a wide range of hardwood trees and shrubs, including Alder, , Beech, , Cherry, Mountain Ash, Plum, Rose, Serviceberry, and (Wagner et al., 2011). Species in the Rosaceae seem to be preferred, with members of the Betulaceae also commonly use (Schmidt and Anweiler, 2020).

OBSERVATION_METHODS:

NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM RANKS: G5 S4S5

STATE PROTECTION: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.

COMMENTS:

March 2021 The of North Carolina - Early Draft 1