Noctuidae
A Red Underwing, a Noctuid moth
: Eukaryota : Animalia : Metazoa : Arthropoda : Hexapoda : Insecta : Pterygota : Neoptera : Endopterygota : Lepidoptera : Ditrysia Division: Macrolepidoptera : Noctuoidea : Noctuidae
Author:	Latreille, 1809
Type species:	Noctua pronuba (Large Yellow Underwing )
Diversity:	4,200 genera 35,000 species
Subfamilies
Acontiinae - Acronictinae - Aganainae - Agaristinae - Amphipyrinae - Amphipyrinae - Bagisarinae - Bryophilinae - Calpinae - Catocalinae - Cocytiinae - Condicinae - Cuculliinae - Dilobinae - Eucocytiinae - Eustrotiinae - Euteliinae - Glottulinae - Hadeninae - Heliothinae - Herminiinae - Hypeninae - Noctuinae - Plusiinae - Psaphidinae - Raphiinae - Stictopterinae - Stiriinae - Strepsimaninae - Ufeinae

The Noctuidae are a family of robustly-built moths with more than 25,000 known species [possibly 100,000 in the family]. Most have drab forewings, although some have brightly coloured underwings. There are usually few differences between the sexes.

Several species have larvae (caterpillars) that live in the soil and are agricultural or horticultural pests. These are the "cutworms " that eat the bases of young brassicas and lettuces. They form hard, shiny pupae.

Species include:

• Silkworm (Bombyx mori)
• Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar)
• Red Underwing (Catocala nupta)
• Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa zea)
• Pasture Day Moth (Apina callisto)
• Bogong Moth (Agrotis infusa)
• Pine Beauty (Panolis flammea)