Clover Cutworm vs Spotted Sandpiper

Anarta trifolii compared with Actitis macularius

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clover Cutworm	Spotted Sandpiper
Kingdom same	Animalia (동물)	Animalia (동물)
Phylum	Arthropoda (절지동물)	Chordata (척삭동물)
Class	Insecta (곤충)	Aves (새)
Order	Lepidoptera (나비목)	Charadriiformes (도요목)
Family	Noctuidae	Scolopacidae
Genus	Anarta	Actitis
Species	Anarta trifolii	Actitis macularius

Evolutionary Relationship

Clover Cutworm and Spotted Sandpiper share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (동물)

Conservation Status

Clover Cutworm

LC — Least Concern

Spotted Sandpiper

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clover Cutworm	Spotted Sandpiper
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).

Spotted Sandpiper

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela).

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.

Spotted Sandpiper

점박이도요(Actitis macularius)는 IUCN 적색 목록에서 최소 관심(LC)으로 분류된다. 서식 범위 전반에 걸쳐 광범위하게 분포하고 개체수가 풍부하며, 안정적인 개체군을 유지하고 즉각적인 보전 우려 사항은 없다.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

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