Acronicta psi (Linnaeus, 1758)
(Grey Dagger)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesAcronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
GenusAcronicta (daggers and knotgrasses)
SubfamilyACRONICTINAE (daggers and knotgrasses)
FamilyNOCTUIDAE (shuttle moths)
SuperfamilyNOCTUOIDEA (shuttle moths)
CladeMacrolepidoptera (macro-moths)
CladeObtectomera (butterflies and most moths)
CladeApoditrysia (butterflies and most moths)
InfraorderDitrysia (butterflies and most moths)
InfraorderHeteroneura (an infraorder of moths and butterflies)
SuborderGLOSSATA (a suborder of moths)
OrderLEPIDOPTERA (butterflies and moths)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger) :
1: Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
6 Sep 2014 OSGR: SZ19 50° 40’ N, 1° 50’ W Vice County: South Hants (VC 11) England
on Dog Rose leaf, on sparse silken pad, preparing for ecdysis
Image 1: Larva - dorsal view - enlargedImage 2: Larva - lateral view - enlargedImage 3: Larva - lateral view - enlarged (2)
2: Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
25 Aug 2012 OSGR: SH85 53° 10’ N, 3° 50’ W Vice County: Denbigh (VC 50) Wales
climbing up wall of house
Image 1: Larva - dorsal view - grey backgroundImage 2: Larva - dorsal view - grey background (2)Image 3: Larva - dorsal view - grey background (3)Image 4: Larva - dorso-lateral view - grey backgroundImage 5: Larva - lateral/dorsal view - black backgroundImage 6: Larva - lateral view - black backgroundImage 7: Larva - lateral view - black background (2)Image 8: Larva - lateral view - black background (3)Image 9: Larva - lateral view - grey backgroundImage 10: Larva - lateral view - grey background (2)Image 11: Larva - lateral view - grey background (3)Image 12: Larva - lateral view - grey background (4)Image 13: Larva - head end - dorsal view - enlarged - black backgroundImage 14: Larva - head end - dorsal view - enlarged - grey backgroundImage 15: Larva - head end - dorsal view - enlarged - grey background (2)Image 16: Larva - head end - lateral view - enlarged - grey backgroundImage 17: Larva - head end - lateral view - enlarged - grey background (2)Image 18: Larva - head end - lateral view - enlarged - grey background (3)Image 19: Larva - head end - lateral view - enlarged - grey background (4)Image 20: Larva - head end - lateral view - enlarged - grey background (5)Image 21: Larva - tail end - dorsal view - enlarged - black backgroundImage 22: Larva - tail end - lateral view - enlarged - black backgroundImage 23: Larva - tail end - lateral view - enlarged - black background (2)
3: Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
13 Jul 2003 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
in house after dark, at light
Image 1: Adult - dorsal view - grey backgroundImage 2: Adult - dorsal view - grey background (2)Image 3: Adult - lateral viewImage 4: Adult - lateral view (2)Image 5: Adult - ventral view - grey backgroundImage 6: Tip of abdomen - living mothImage 7: Male genitalia - held open - magnifiedImage 8: Male genitalia - held open - magnified (2)Image 9: Male genitalia - magnifiedImage 10: Male genitalia - side view - magnified
4: Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
20 Jun 1971 OSGR: TG10 52° 40’ N, 1° 10’ E Vice County: East Norfolk (VC 27) England
in MV trap
Image 1: Adult - dorsal - close-up - enlargedImage 2: Adult - lateral - enlarged
5: Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
3 Aug 1968 OSGR: TQ20 50° 50’ N, 0° 10’ W Vice County: East Sussex (VC 14) England
Larva on Apple tree, in garden
Image 1: Larva - feeding - close-up - enlargedImage 2: Larva - side view - enlarged

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
() Townsend, M.C., Clifton, J. & Goodey, B. 2010 British and Irish moths: an illustrated guide to selected difficult species (covering the use of genitalia and other features) 91pp, Butterfly Conservation

Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 13 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Acronicta psi (Grey Dagger)
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