The cutworm, or owlet, moths constitute a family belonging to the order Lepidoptera. This order consists of all the moths and butterflies. Cutworm moths are common throughout the world. In Canada and the United States over three thousand species are represented, from the Arctic tundra to the arid deserts of southwestern United States. Many species are found in eastern North America, but the family is best represented in the mountains and on the plateaus of western North America.