Clover Cutworm vs Gray Parrot

Anarta trifolii compared with Psittacus erithacus

Key Differences

• Clover Cutworm is Least Concern while Gray Parrot is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clover Cutworm	Gray Parrot
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Noctuidae	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Anarta	Psittacus
Species	Anarta trifolii	Psittacus erithacus

Evolutionary Relationship

Clover Cutworm and Gray Parrot share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Clover Cutworm

LC — Least Concern

Gray Parrot

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clover Cutworm	Gray Parrot
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).

Gray Parrot

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Benin), Asia (Taiwan, United Arab Emirates), Europe (5 countries), and South America (Colombia). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Gray Parrot

Widely regarded as the most intelligent parrot species and the most capable avian mimic, African grey parrots can develop vocabularies of over 1,000 words and demonstrate comprehension of concepts including zero, color, shape, and relative size. Native to equatorial African rainforest from Ivory Coast to Kenya, they live in large flocks. Endangered due to catastrophic trapping for the pet trade — up to 21% of wild birds are trapped annually — and deforestation. Strict CITES Appendix I trade restrictions apply.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway