The Finger Dagger Moth Caterpillar grows into a medium to large moth with light grey forewings with darker markings and white hind wings.
Its forewings have normal markings, but they are somewhat broken and blurred. Its orbicular spot is a small, hollow ring. There is no basal dash.
The anal dagger mark is blurred but obvious. The male hind wings are white with grey scales along the veins. The female is larger and is more heavily dusted with grey on the hind wings. Antennae in both sexes are simple.
Can easily be mistaken for the American Dagger Moth, which is darker grey or brown on both wings and has a doubled, white-filled postmedian line, or the Cottonwood Dagger Moth, which is smaller and has narrower wings with a basal dash on the forewings.
This moth is very common on Vancouver Island and in the fall, you can see the caterpillars on the move looking for a winter place to cocoon up for the winter.
You can find the finger dagger moth from Newfoundland west to the Pacific coast.