Noctuidae : Acronictinae
Grey Dagger agg.
ACRONICTA (Triaena) psi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Grey Dagger agg.
ACRONICTA (Triaena) psi (Linnaeus, 1758)
Life Cycle Guide
Description
Wingspan: 30-40mm
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : North Africa : Northern Iran : Central Asia : Southern & Central Siberia : Mongolia : Lebanon : Israel
UK Distridution: Resident : Well distributed in England : Wales : Ireland : Isle of Man : Channel Isles : Lowlands of Scotland
UK Conservation Status -
Habitat: Many habitat types including-Woodland : Gardens : Hedgerows : Heathland : Calcareous grassland : Fens
Similar Species -
Pupa: Overwinters as pupa
Overwinters as: Pupa in cocoon in rotten wood or bark.
Observations: It is impossible in the field to differentiate between the Grey Dagger A.psi and Dark Dagger A.tridens , therefore the difference between the moths can only be confirmed by dissection and study of the genatalia, although the larvae are easily confirmed.
At both ends of the grey shades between light and dark individuals usually result in the moth being a Grey Dagger.
The moth comes to light and sugar and is another moth to be fund imbibing at flowers.
The larvae of the Grey Dagger are polyphageous feeding on a wide variety of plant genera.
Worldwide Distribution: Europe : North Africa : Northern Iran : Central Asia : Southern & Central Siberia : Mongolia : Lebanon : Israel
UK Distridution: Resident : Well distributed in England : Wales : Ireland : Isle of Man : Channel Isles : Lowlands of Scotland
UK Conservation Status -
- Common = >300 10Km Squares
- BAP : 2007 - Priority Species
- NERC S.41 : 2008 (England) & NERC S.42 : 2009 (Wales) - Species "of principle importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity"
- Northern Ireland : 2010 - Priority Species
- Least Concern
- Phalaena Noctua psi (Linnaeus 1758)
- Phalaena leporina (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Not Specified
Habitat: Many habitat types including-Woodland : Gardens : Hedgerows : Heathland : Calcareous grassland : Fens
Similar Species -
- Dark Dagger Acronicta tridens ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
Pupa: Overwinters as pupa
Overwinters as: Pupa in cocoon in rotten wood or bark.
Observations: It is impossible in the field to differentiate between the Grey Dagger A.psi and Dark Dagger A.tridens , therefore the difference between the moths can only be confirmed by dissection and study of the genatalia, although the larvae are easily confirmed.
At both ends of the grey shades between light and dark individuals usually result in the moth being a Grey Dagger.
The moth comes to light and sugar and is another moth to be fund imbibing at flowers.
The larvae of the Grey Dagger are polyphageous feeding on a wide variety of plant genera.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website
where further information like photos,physical
characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal
uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
- Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
- Aceraceae - Maple Family
- Acer platanoides - Norway Maple
- Apiaceae - Umbelliferae - Umbellifer Family
- Aegopodium podagraria - Ground-Elder
- Betulaceae - The Birch Family
- Alnus glutinosa - Alder
- Alnus incana - Grey Alder
- Betula pendula - Silver Birch
- Betula pubescens - White Birch - Downy Birch
- Corylus avellana - Hazel
- Fagaceae - Oak - Chestnut - Beech Family
- Quercus robur - Pedunculate Oak - Common Oak
- Rosaceae - The Rose Family
- Amelanchier spicata - Thicket Shadbush - Low Juneberry
- Amelanchier stolonifera - Quebec Berry
- Crataegus coccinea - Scarlet Hawthorn
- Crataegus intricata - Copenhagen Hawthorn
- Crataegus laevigata - Midland Hawthorn
- Malus domestica - Apple
- Malus pumila - Paradise Apple
- Prunus avium - Wild Cherry
- Prunus cerasus - Sour Cherry
- Prunus domestica - Bullace - Plum
- Prunus dulcis - Almond
- Prunus persica - Peach
- Prunus padus - Bird Cherry - Hackberry
- Pyrus communis - Wild Pear
- Rosa pimpinellifolia - Burnet Rose
- Rubus idaeus - Raspberry - Framboise
- Sorbus aucuparia - Mountain Ash - Rowan
- Sorbus hybrida - Swedish Service Tree
- Sorbus intermedia - Swedish Whitebeam
- Spirea salicifolia - Bridewort
- Salicaceae - Willow Family
- Populus suaveolens - Mongolian Poplar
- Populus tremula - Aspen Poplar
- Salix caprea - Goat Willow
- Salix phylicifolia - Tealeaf Willow
- Ulmaceae - Elm Family
- Ulmus glabra - Wych Elm - Scots Elm
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Tiliaceae - Tilia - Lime
- Note - Larvae also feed on the following plant families
- Ulmus glabra - Wych Elm - Scots Elm
Laval Food Plants
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Taxonomy
Kingdom:
Subkingdom: Phylum: Subphylum: Class: Order: Superfamily: Family: Subfamily: Tribe: Genus: Subgenus: Accepted Species Name: Type Species - ACRONICTA: Original Species Name: Species Names: Literary Ref: Type Locality: Synonyms: |
Animalia
Eumetozoa Arthropoda Hexapoda Insecta Lepidoptera Noctuoidea Noctuidae Acronictinae Acronictini ACRONICTA Ochsenheimer, 1816 Triaena Hübner, 1818 Acronicta (Triaena) psi (Linnaeus, 1758) - Phalaena leporina (Linnaeus, 1758) - PHALAENA (Noctua) psi (Linnaeus 1758) = Phalaena psi Linnaeus, 1758 = Phalaena Noctua psi Linnaeus, 1758 = Acronycta psi batnana Draudt, 1931 = Acronycta psi iliensis Draudt, 1931 = Acronicta psi crassistriga Lattin, 1938 = Acronycta psi solimana Draudt, 1938 = Acronycta psi tehrana Wiltshire, 1946 = Apatele perisi Calle, 1974. - Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.514 - n.96 - Not Specified - Triaena psi |