Clover Cutworm vs

Anarta trifolii compared with Comatricha filamentosa

Key Differences

• Clover Cutworm is Least Concern while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clover Cutworm
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Protozoa (protozoa)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Mycetozoa
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Myxomycetes (Myxomycetes)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Stemonitidales
Family	Noctuidae	Stemonitidaceae
Genus	Anarta	Comatricha
Species	Anarta trifolii	Comatricha filamentosa

Conservation Status

Clover Cutworm

LC — Least Concern

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clover Cutworm
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

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).

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

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.

<em>Comatricha filamentosa</em> is a myxomycete belonging to the genus <em>Comatricha</em>, order Stemonitidales, class Myxomycetes. The species is distinguished within the genus by features of its filamentous capillitial threads and spore morphology, which are used as diagnostic characters in taxonomic identification. It has been recorded from Europe, where it inhabits decaying wood and plant litter in forest and woodland habitats. Like other plasmodial slime molds, <em>C. filamentosa</em> passes through a motile plasmodial feeding stage, consuming bacteria, fungi, and decomposing organic matter, before forming fruiting bodies under conditions of environmental stress or nutritional depletion. The resulting sporangia release spores suited for wind dispersal. This species plays a role in nutrient cycling within woodland ecosystems. No quantitative biological metrics are available, and it has not been assessed by the IUCN.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden