# Heart and Dart

*Agrotis exclamationis*

Its scientific name 'exclamationis' and common name 'Heart and Dart' both describe the striking black shapes marked on its forewings.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Lepidoptera › Noctuidae › Agrotis
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Grasslands, meadows, gardens, agricultural fields, and waste ground.
- **Diet:** Adults drink flower nectar; larvae (cutworms) feed on the roots and leaves of herbaceous plants and crops.
- **Range:** Europe, Temperate Asia, North Africa
- **Size:** Wingspan of 35-44 mm
- **Lifespan:** Up to 1 year (including larval stage; adults live 2-4 weeks)
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Pesticide use, intensive agriculture, and artificial light pollution disrupting nocturnal behaviors.
- **Safe to approach?:** Completely harmless to humans. If one enters your home, gently cup it with a glass and card to release it outside near vegetation. Safe to observe closely.

## About

The heart and dart ( Agrotis exclamationis ) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. A familiar moth to many, it is considered one of the most common of the European region. It occurs throughout the Palearctic ecozone from Ireland to Japan.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/93b2e1ab-682b-4e32-abc5-bc35283659c3
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/132887
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrotis exclamationis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/313957994/medium.jpg (SteveM4560, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.