Black Cutworm vs Macrosoma tipulata

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Black Cutworm Macrosoma tipulata
Scientific Name Agrotis ipsilon Macrosoma tipulata
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Noctuidae Hedylidae
Size 40-55 mm wingspan 30-40 mm wingspan
Habitat Indoors Forests
Diet Seed Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Worldwide Central America, South America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Black Cutworm

A dull brown moth whose soil-dwelling caterpillars sever young seedlings at ground level during the night. It is a cosmopolitan pest that migrates long distances.

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Did You Know?

Cutworm caterpillars curl into a C-shape when disturbed, a diagnostic behavior for identifying them in soil.

Macrosoma tipulata

Slender moth-butterfly with elongated brown-gray wings and long legs. Nocturnal and rarely encountered, attracted to lights.

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Did You Know?

Like other hedylids, it can detect bat echolocation and perform evasive aerial maneuvers.