Black Cutworm vs Common thrip

Agrotis ipsilon compared with Thrips pini

Key Differences

• Black Cutworm is Least Concern while Common thrip is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black Cutworm	Common thrip
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Thysanoptera (Thysanoptera)
Family	Noctuidae	Thripidae
Genus	Agrotis	Thrips
Species	Agrotis ipsilon	Thrips pini

Evolutionary Relationship

Black Cutworm and Common thrip share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Black Cutworm

LC — Least Concern

Common thrip

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black Cutworm	Common thrip
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black Cutworm

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (7 countries), Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Chile).

Common thrip

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Black Cutworm

The Black Cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon) is a species in the genus Agrotis. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the. Widely distributed across Africa (7 countries), Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), North America (Canada, United Stat...

Common thrip

<em>Thrips pini</em> is a small insect in the order Thysanoptera, family Thripidae, recorded from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. It is Not Evaluated on the IUCN Red List. As its name suggests, this species is principally associated with pine trees, feeding on the young shoots, buds, and needle bases of <em>Pinus</em> species, where feeding damage can cause discoloration and distortion of foliage. It inhabits coniferous forests and plantations, particularly in northern and temperate regions. Like other thrips species, it is a minute insect, typically 1–2 millimeters in length, with fringed wings. Populations are typically univoltine or bivoltine in northern climates, and overwintering occurs in litter or bark crevices. Diet consists of plant tissue, primarily from pine hosts. The species has limited direct economic significance compared to some other thrips pests, but can contribute to forest health concerns when populations reach high densities. Biological traits such as precise adult body weight, lifespan, and egg output remain poorly documented in standardized scientific assessments.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States