Apothecary Rose vs Clover Cutworm

Rosa gallica compared with Anarta trifolii

Key Differences

Apothecary Rose is Not Evaluated while Clover Cutworm is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Apothecary Rose	Clover Cutworm
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Rosales (Roses & Allies)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Rosaceae (Rose Family)	Noctuidae
Genus	Rosa (Roses)	Anarta
Species	Rosa gallica	Anarta trifolii

Conservation Status

Apothecary Rose

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Stable →

Clover Cutworm

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Apothecary Rose	Clover Cutworm
Diet	Autotroph	—
Average Lifespan	30 years	—
Average Length	1.0 m	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Apothecary Rose

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (9 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil).

Clover Cutworm

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests and deserts and xeric shrublands within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Cabo Verde), Asia (Yemen), Europe (4 countries), and North America (Canada, United States).

Apothecary Rose

One of the oldest cultivated roses in existence, the Apothecary's Rose has been grown in Europe and the Middle East for over 2,000 years and was the principal source of rose petals for medieval herbalists and perfumers. Producing fragrant single to semi-double deep pink flowers each spring, it is native to the Caucasus and northern Iran. Its petals retain fragrance when dried, making it valuable for rosewater, attar, and potpourri production. The ancestor of many modern rose cultivars.

Clover Cutworm

The clover cutworm (Anarta trifolii) is a noctuid moth in the family Noctuidae, order Lepidoptera, with a wide distribution spanning Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. The species has a characteristic cutworm larva that severs plant stems near the soil surface or feeds on leaves and developing seeds, causing significant damage to crops. Primary host plants include clover (Trifolium), alfalfa, beet, and various other broadleaf crops and weeds, making A. trifolii an agricultural pest of moderate to significant importance in affected regions. Adults are brownish-grey moths with subtle wing patterns typical of the noctuidae family, and like most noctuids, they are nocturnal and attracted to light sources. The species is highly mobile, with adults capable of long-distance migration that enables rapid colonization of new agricultural areas. A. trifolii inhabits a broad range of open habitats including agricultural fields, meadows, steppes, and disturbed grasslands across its extensive range. Its polyphagous larval diet and migratory adult behavior contribute to its wide geographic range spanning multiple continents. In Europe, it is found from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia; in North America it occurs in both Canada and the United States. A. trifolii is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with populations considered stable and the species benefiting from the widespread availability of agricultural host plants. Natural enemies include parasitoid wasps and tachinid flies, along with pathogens including nuclear polyhedrosis viruses used in biological control.