Arctic grass vs clouded drab

Arctagrostis latifolia compared with Orthosia incerta

Key Differences

• Arctic grass is Near Threatened while clouded drab is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Arctic grass	clouded drab
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Poales (Grasses)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Poaceae (Grass Family)	Noctuidae
Genus	Arctagrostis	Orthosia
Species	Arctagrostis latifolia	Orthosia incerta

Conservation Status

Arctic grass

NT — Near Threatened

clouded drab

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Arctic grass	clouded drab
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Arctic grass

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

clouded drab

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Arctic grass

The Arctic grass (Arctagrostis latifolia) is a species in the genus Arctagrostis. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

clouded drab

The clouded drab (Orthosia incerta) is a noctuid moth in the family Noctuidae and one of the characteristic early-spring moths of temperate Europe and western Asia, flying from February to April when most other moth species are inactive. The adult wingspan measures approximately 35–42 mm with variable forewings ranging from pale greyish-buff through warm reddish-brown to dark grey-brown, bearing subtle cross-lines, stigmata, and the clouded, diffuse shading that gives the species its common name. The variability of the clouded drab has historically created confusion with related Orthosia species. Adults emerge early in the year, taking nectar from sallow catkins and other early-spring flowers. Larvae feed on the foliage of deciduous trees and shrubs including oak, hawthorn, birch, and hazel in woodland, scrub, and hedgerow habitats. The clouded drab is one of the more numerous and widespread spring moths in Britain and northern Europe, routinely recorded at light traps and regarded as an indicator of woodland health. The early flight season makes it an important pollinator of early-flowering trees and shrubs in temperate woodland systems.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden