Agrotis

/əˈɡroʊtɪs/ noun

Definition

A genus of moths whose larvae, called cutworms, are major agricultural pests that damage young plants by cutting them off at ground level.

Etymology

From Greek agros (field), referring to field-dwelling moths. The genus was classified scientifically in the 18th-19th centuries.

Kelly Says

Agrotis moths seem insignificant, but their cutworm larvae cost farmers billions of dollars annually in crop damage, making these tiny insects surprisingly economically important adversaries.

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