Turnip Moth
Agrotis segetum
This record describes Agrotis segetum (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Although showing many colour forms, this moth usually shows a neat, pale fringe with a narrow inner dark line on the forewing, and has very white hindwings. Gardens, farmland, parkland, oak woodland and sand-dunes. The species is double-brooded, flying in May and June, and again in August and September/October. The larvae live underground and feed on the roots of root vegetables, herbaceous plants and other cultivated crops. Their destructive habit of biting off the shoots of small seedlings gave rise to the name 'cutworms'. It is common throughout most of Britain, though scarcer in Scotland.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
Gardens, farmland, parkland, oak woodland and sand-dunes.
Seasonal Activity
The species is double-brooded, flying in May and June, and again in August and September/October.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
The larvae live underground and feed on the roots of root vegetables, herbaceous plants and other cultivated crops. Their destructive habit of biting off the shoots of small seedlings gave rise to the name 'cutworms'.
Additional species information
Recorded status
It is common throughout most of Britain, though scarcer in Scotland.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 segetum. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Turnip Moth
What is Turnip Moth?
Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
Where is Turnip Moth found?
Habitat: Gardens, farmland, parkland, oak woodland and sand-dunes.
When is Turnip Moth active?
Turnip Moth: seasonal activity - The species is double-brooded, flying in May and June, and again in August and September/October..
What is the life cycle of a Turnip Moth?
The larvae live underground and feed on the roots of root vegetables, herbaceous plants and other cultivated crops. Their destructive habit of biting off the shoots of small seedlings gave rise to the name 'cutworms'.