Black Cutworm vs Yabby

Agrotis ipsilon compared with Cherax destructor

Key Differences

• Black Cutworm is Least Concern while Yabby is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black Cutworm	Yabby
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Malacostraca (Crustaceans)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Decapoda (Decapoda)
Family	Noctuidae	Parastacidae
Genus	Agrotis	Cherax
Species	Agrotis ipsilon	Cherax destructor

Evolutionary Relationship

Black Cutworm and Yabby share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Arthropoda. (Arthropods)

Conservation Status

Black Cutworm

LC — Least Concern

Yabby

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black Cutworm	Yabby
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).

Yabby

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, temperate coniferous forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (China), Europe (4 countries), and North America (Mexico). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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...

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇿🇦 South Africa