Clover Cutworm vs Serotine

Anarta trifolii compared with Eptesicus serotinus

Key Differences

• Clover Cutworm is Least Concern while Serotine is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clover Cutworm	Serotine
Kingdom same	Animalia (动物界)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum	Arthropoda (节肢动物门)	Chordata (脊索动物门)
Class	Insecta (昆蟲綱)	Mammalia (哺乳動物)
Order	Lepidoptera (鱗翅目)	Chiroptera (翼手目)
Family	Noctuidae	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Anarta	Eptesicus
Species	Anarta trifolii	Eptesicus serotinus

Evolutionary Relationship

Clover Cutworm and Serotine share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (动物界)

Conservation Status

Clover Cutworm

LC — Least Concern

Serotine

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clover Cutworm	Serotine
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).

Serotine

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (7 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable 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.

Serotine

晚蝠(Eptesicus serotinus)在IUCN红色名录中被列为易危(VU)。在野外面临较高的灭绝风险，种群数量下降，栖息地压力持续增大。

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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