| Army cutworm | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Tribe: | Agrotini |
| Genus: | Euxoa |
| Species: | E. auxiliaris |
| Binomial name | |
| Euxoa auxiliaris (Grote, 1873) |
|
The army cutworm (Euxoa auxiliaris) is a species of moth [1].
Its caterpillars are pests of oat (Avena sativa) and common wheat (Triticum aestivum).[2]
Euxoa auxiliaris is commonly found in the Western section and prairies of the United States. They are known to travel to alpine climate regions in late June and early July where they feed at night on the nectar of wildflowers. Army cutworms are one of the richest foods for predators, such as brown bears, in this ecosystem, where up to 72 per cent of the moth's body weight is fat, thus making it more calorie-rich than elk or deer.[3]