Common Yellow Conch vs Fleecy Shield

Agapeta hamana compared with Pluteus hispidulus

Key Differences

• Common Yellow Conch is Least Concern while Fleecy Shield is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Yellow Conch	Fleecy Shield
Kingdom	Animalia (동물)	Fungi (균계)
Phylum	Arthropoda (절지동물)	Basidiomycota (담자균류)
Class	Insecta (곤충)	Agaricomycetes (주름버섯강)
Order	Lepidoptera (나비목)	Agaricales (주름버섯목)
Family	Tortricidae	Pluteaceae
Genus	Agapeta	Pluteus
Species	Agapeta hamana	Pluteus hispidulus

Conservation Status

Common Yellow Conch

LC — Least Concern

Fleecy Shield

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Yellow Conch	Fleecy Shield
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Yellow Conch

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Fleecy Shield

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Yellow Conch

<em>Agapeta hamana</em>, the common yellow conch moth, is a small moth in the family Tortricidae. It is widely distributed across Europe and central Asia, ranging from Britain and Scandinavia eastward through much of the Palearctic region. The species inhabits dry grasslands, heathlands, chalk downlands, and scrubby habitats where its larval host plants are found. Adult moths display distinctive pale yellow to golden-yellow forewings with irregular brown or reddish-brown markings near the wingtip, forming a pattern that resembles the shell of a conch, lending the species its common name. The wingspan typically measures around 15–22 mm. Biological traits such as average adult lifespan, precise body weight, and detailed population data remain poorly documented in consolidated scientific literature. Larvae feed internally on the roots of thistles and knapweeds, particularly <em>Centaurea</em> and <em>Cirsium</em> species. Adults fly from June to August and are frequently attracted to light. <em>Agapeta hamana</em> has been investigated as a potential biological control agent for invasive knapweed species in North America, where it has been introduced experimentally. The species is assessed as Least Concern given its broad distribution and stable habitat associations.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden