Black Cutworm vs Monarch

Agrotis ipsilon compared with Danaus plexippus

Key Differences

• Black Cutworm is Least Concern while Monarch is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black Cutworm	Monarch
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order same	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Noctuidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Agrotis	Danaus (Milkweed Butterflies)
Species	Agrotis ipsilon	Danaus plexippus

Evolutionary Relationship

Black Cutworm and Monarch share a common ancestor at the Order level: Lepidoptera. (Butterflies & Moths)

Conservation Status

Black Cutworm

LC — Least Concern

Monarch

NE — Not Evaluated

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black Cutworm	Monarch
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	5 cm
Average Weight	—	0 g

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).

Monarch

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (8 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Colombia).

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...

Monarch

One of the world's most remarkable migratory insects, monarch butterflies undertake multigenerational round-trip migrations of up to 4,800 km between breeding grounds in northern North America and overwintering sites in Mexican mountain forests. Brilliant orange and black wings warn predators of toxicity derived from milkweed plants consumed as caterpillars. Endangered, with overwintering populations having declined by over 80% since the 1990s due to milkweed habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 7 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇹🇼 Taiwan 🇺🇸 United States