Common corncockle vs Common Rose Bell

Agrostemma githago compared with Notocelia rosaecolana

Key Differences

• Common corncockle is Critically Endangered while Common Rose Bell is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common corncockle	Common Rose Bell
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Caryophyllaceae	Tortricidae
Genus	Agrostemma	Notocelia
Species	Agrostemma githago	Notocelia rosaecolana

Conservation Status

Common corncockle

CR — Critically Endangered

Common Rose Bell

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common corncockle	Common Rose Bell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common corncockle

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including montane grasslands and shrublands, tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, and temperate coniferous forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Lesotho), Asia (7 countries), Europe (24 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil, Chile). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Rose Bell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries) and North America (United States).

Common corncockle

<em>Agrostemma githago</em>, commonly known as common corncockle, is an annual flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. Once a widespread weed of cereal crops across Europe, Asia, and beyond, this species is now Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to the dramatic decline caused by modern agricultural practices, particularly improved grain cleaning and herbicide use. Corncockle is a tall, slender plant covered in silky white hairs, bearing large, solitary pink to purple flowers with distinctive dark veining. Its seeds contain toxic saponin compounds called githagins, which historically contaminated grain supplies. The species now survives primarily in wildflower conservation areas, seed banks, and traditional farmland conservation schemes. It typically grows in open, disturbed arable soils with full sun exposure. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Common Rose Bell

<em>Notocelia rosaecolana</em>, the common rose bell, is a small tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae, order Lepidoptera. It is distributed across Europe and North America, with documented records from Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, and the United States. The species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Rose bell moths in the genus Notocelia are leafrollers whose larvae typically feed on plants in the rose family (Rosaceae), particularly wild roses and related species. <em>Notocelia rosaecolana</em> larvae typically shelter within rolled or tied leaves and feed on foliage, flower buds, and stems of their host plants. Adults are small moths with intricately patterned, mottled brown and grayish forewings that provide excellent camouflage on plant surfaces. Adults are nocturnal and may be attracted to light sources. The species typically produces one generation per year in temperate climates, overwintering in the larval or pupal stage. Biological traits such as precise lifespan, body length, and wing measurements remain poorly documented for this taxon in quantitative studies. The species is considered a minor leafroller pest on cultivated roses in some regions of Europe but is generally managed without dedicated control measures in natural habitats.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 7 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇮🇸 Iceland 🇮🇪 Ireland 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States