Heart & Club
Agrotis clavis
This record describes Agrotis clavis (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Wingspan 35 to 40 mm. Similar to the more common Heart & Dart, but the central dart-mark is shorter, blunter and more club like. Collar may have thin dark lines, but rarely has a dark broad band. Frequents sand dunes and waste ground, it is a frequent visitor to light. The caterpillars feed on the leaves and roots of low-growing plants including Knotgrass and Clover. Distributed mainly in the south and south-east of England, where it is common in places, it has a scattered distribution elsewhere, being rather local. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera
- Family
- Noctuidae
- Genus
- Agrotis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Frequents sand dunes and waste ground, it is a frequent visitor to light.
Seasonal Activity
June and July.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The caterpillars feed on the leaves and roots of low-growing plants including Knotgrass and Clover.
Additional species information
Recorded status
Distributed mainly in the south and south-east of England, where it is common in places, it has a scattered distribution elsewhere, being rather local. In a recent survey to determine the status of all macro moths in Britain this species was classified as common.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Agrotis clavis. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Heart & Club (10)
Frequently Asked Questions About Heart & Club
What is Heart & Club?
Heart & Club (Agrotis clavis) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Heart & Club found?
Habitat: Frequents sand dunes and waste ground, it is a frequent visitor to light.
When is Heart & Club active?
Heart & Club: seasonal activity - June and July..
What is the life cycle of a Heart & Club?
The caterpillars feed on the leaves and roots of low-growing plants including Knotgrass and Clover.