Clover Cutworm vs

Anarta trifolii compared with Cortinarius pratensis

Key Differences

Clover Cutworm is Least Concern while is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clover Cutworm
Kingdom	Animalia (สัตว์)	Fungi (เห็ดรา)
Phylum	Arthropoda (สัตว์ขาปล้อง)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Insecta (แมลง)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Lepidoptera (ผีเสื้อ)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Noctuidae	Cortinariaceae
Genus	Anarta	Cortinarius
Species	Anarta trifolii	Cortinarius pratensis

Conservation Status

Clover Cutworm

LC — Least Concern

DD — Data Deficient

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

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, 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.

Cortinarius pratensis is a webcap mushroom associated with grassland and woodland edge habitats, featuring an ochre to pale brown cap and the rusty-spored gills typical of Cortinarius. It forms ectomycorrhizal associations with trees in temperate European environments. Listed as Data Deficient, its precise ecology, population status, and taxonomic boundaries require further investigation.