Common name: Coastal Heathland Cutworm
Scientific name: Abagrotis benjamini Franclemont, 1955

Class:
Insecta (Insects)
Order:
Lepidoptera (Butterflies, Skippers, and Moths)
Family:
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Synonyms:
Abagrotis crumbi benjamini Franclemont, 1955, Abagrotis nefascia benjamini Franclemont, 1955
Other common names:

Habitat type(s):
Habitat description(s)

Ecological systems and subsytems (about):
TERRESTRIAL - FORESTED UPLANDS:
Coastal oak-heath forest (guide)
A low diversity, large patch to matrix, hardwood forest that typically occurs on dry, well-drained, sandy soils of glacial outwash plains or moraines of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The forest is usually codominated by two or more species of scarlet oak, white oak, and black oak.
TERRESTRIAL - OPEN UPLANDS:
Maritime dunes (guide)
A community dominated by grasses and low shrubs that occurs on active and stabilized dunes along the Atlantic coast. The composition and structure of the vegetation is variable depending on stability of the dunes, amounts of sand deposition and erosion, and distance from the ocean.
TERRESTRIAL - OPEN UPLANDS:
Maritime grassland* (guide)
A grassland community that occurs on rolling outwash plains of the glaciated portion of the Atlantic coastal plain, near the ocean and within the influence of offshore winds and salt spray.
TERRESTRIAL - OPEN UPLANDS:
Maritime heathland (guide)
A dwarf shrubland community that occurs on rolling outwash plains and moraine of the glaciated portion of the Atlantic coastal plain, near the ocean and within the influence of onshore winds and salt spray.
PALUSTRINE - OPEN PEATLANDS:
Sea level fen* (guide)
A wetland that occurs at the upper edge of salt marshes but is fed primarily by acidic groundwater seeping out along the upland edge. This fresh water sometimes mixes with salt or brackish water during unusually high tides. There is a high abundance of sedges that decompose slowly and create a deep substrate of peat. This peat is underlain by deep sand or gravel. These fens usually have a high diversity of herbs but may also have scattered trees and shrubs.

* probable association but not confirmed.


Conservation:
Global conservation status rank:
G3
Vulnerable globally - At moderate risk of extinction due to rarity or other factors; typically 80 or fewer populations or locations in the world, few individuals, restricted range, few remaining acres (or miles of stream), and/or recent and widespread declines.
State conservation status rank:
S1S3
Critically Imperiled, Imperiled, or Vulnerable in New York - Conservation status is uncertain; could be especially vulnerable, very vulnerable, or vulnerable to disappearing from New York, due to rarity or other factors. More information is needed to assign either S1, S2 or S3.
Federal protection:
Not Listed
State protection:
Not Listed
Not listed or protected by New York State.
SGCN:
NYNHP track status:
Y: Track all extant and selected historical EOs

More information:
Conservation guide:
https://guides.nynhp.org/coastal-heathland-cutworm/
NatureServe explorer link:
https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.120135/Abagrotis_benjamini/