See more pictures of noctuids here.
Noctuid moths are a cosmopolitan family globally distributed, with ~2,500 species occurring in North America. They are part of the largest moth superfamily, the Noctuoidea
While caterpillars of some of these species are agricultural pests, noctuid moths perform essential ecosystem functions such as pollination.
An ecosystem’s health can be directly linked to the species diversity it contains, so we sought to determine the diversity of noctuid moths in several restored sand prairies. Using multiple capture techniques, we identified all species captured to estimate species richness and diversity related to a habitat restoration history. Our results will aid in determining the ecosystem health of newly restored and existing sand prairies. We are also inventorying species along the Illinois Tollway corridors.
Light Trap 
Light Trap 
Light Trap 
Sample in trap 
Light to attract insects to sheet 
Some of the insects attracted to sheet
We are also studying the endangered Papaipema eryngii and the phylogeny and distribution of stem borers of the genus Papaipema.
See more of our insect research