Best Noctuid
Updated Daily
The Mother Shipton moth is a European noctuid moth notable for its distinctive wing shape. Each forewing resembles a human face, earning it the name of the Yorkshire prophetess Mother Shipton. This day-flying species inhabits grassland environments and is primarily found across Europe. It’s of inter...
Griposia aprilina, commonly known as Merveille du Jour, is a European noctuid moth. It’s notable for its exceptional camouflage mimicking lichen growth on oak trees. This green and white coloration protects it from predators. The moth is primarily observed in Britain and Ireland and is of interest t...
The Black Witch Moth represents the largest North American moth species. This erebidae moth, belonging to the Noctuid family, is notable for its substantial size reaching up to seven inches in wingspan. It’s a nocturnal insect primarily found across the Americas. Researchers and serious lepidopteris...
The eight-spotted forester (Alypia octomaculata) is a boldly patterned North American day-flying moth with distinctive white spots on black wings, whose larvae feed on Virginia creeper and grapevines.
The burnished brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) is a European noctuid moth distinguished by the metallic golden-green sheen of its forewings, created by structural coloration, with larvae feeding on stinging nettle and hemp-nettle.
The beautiful golden Y, Autographa pulchrina, is a European plusiine moth described by Haworth in 1809, named for its paired metallic golden marks.
The Hebrew character, Orthosia gothica, is a European noctuid described by Linnaeus in 1758, named for black wing marks likened to a Hebrew letter.
The copper underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) is a widespread Palearctic noctuid whose hindwings show a warm copper-orange band, and whose larvae feed on a wide range of deciduous trees.
The antler moth (Cerapteryx graminis) is a Palearctic noctuid whose caterpillars periodically irrupt in enormous numbers, causing severe defoliation of upland grasses and moorland vegetation.
The square-spot rustic, Xestia xanthographa, is a Holarctic noctuid described in 1775, identified by a pale squarish stigma on the forewing.
The grey dagger (Acronicta psi) is a common European noctuid identified by a distinctive dagger-shaped black streak on its pale grey forewings, and is nearly identical to the dark dagger.
The Old lady moth is a European noctuid species notable for its dark, contrasting wing patterns that resemble Victorian mourning attire and its riverside habitats.
The dark dagger (Acronicta tridens) is a European noctuid so visually similar to the grey dagger that the two species are reliably separated only by examining genitalia under a microscope.
The dark arches (Apamea monoglypha) is one of the most common and widespread noctuid moths in Europe, with larvae feeding on grass roots underground, making it a frequent and sometimes damaging presence in grasslands and gardens.
The cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, is a noctuid moth named for its looping larval gait and noted as a crucifer pest with more than 160 host plants.
The army cutworm, Euxoa auxiliaris, is a noctuid moth described by Grote in 1873, and its miller moth adults serve as food for Rocky Mountain grizzlies.
The soybean looper, Chrysodeixis includens, is a migratory noctuid moth described by Walker in 1858 and a defoliating pest of soybean in the Americas.
The black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon, is a noctuid moth described by Hufnagel in 1766 and notorious for larvae that sever young corn plants.
The corn earworm moth (Helicoverpa zea) is a major North American agricultural pest whose larvae attack maize, cotton, and many other crops, causing billions of dollars in annual losses.
The beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, is a noctuid moth described by Hubner in 1808 and a worldwide pest of vegetables, cotton, and beet crops.
The tobacco budworm, Chloridea virescens, is a noctuid moth described by Fabricius in 1777 and a major pest of tobacco and cotton in the Americas.
The tobacco budworm moth (Chloridea virescens) is a destructive New World noctuid pest of tobacco, cotton, and other crops, and has developed resistance to multiple classes of insecticides.
The corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea, is a noctuid moth described by Boddie in 1850 and a major pest of corn, cotton, and tomato across the Americas.
Old World bollworm is Helicoverpa armigera, a noctuid described by Hubner in 1808 and a highly polyphagous pest of cotton, maize, and tomato.
The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is a noctuid moth native to the Americas and notable as a maize pest that invaded Africa in 2016.
