Small Ranunculus vs Fall Armyworm

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Small Ranunculus Fall Armyworm
Scientific Name Hecatera dysodea Spodoptera frugiperda
Order Lepidoptera Lepidoptera
Family Noctuidae Noctuidae
Size 30-36 mm wingspan 32-40 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Europe, western Asia, North Africa Americas, Africa, Asia, Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Small Ranunculus

A subtly attractive moth with pale grey-green wings marked with intricate darker patterns. It was once rare in Britain but has expanded its range northward in recent decades.

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Did You Know?

It is one of few moths whose caterpillars feed on cultivated lettuce, making it an occasional garden pest.

Fall Armyworm

A highly destructive migratory moth whose caterpillars can devastate entire corn and cereal fields in days. It has recently spread from the Americas to Africa and Asia.

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Did You Know?

Fall armyworm moths can migrate up to 1,600 km in a single generation carried by wind currents.