Endangered Resources Program Species Information
Phlox Moth (Schinia indiana)

Overview

Species Overview

Phlox Moth (Schinia indiana), a State Endangered lepidopteran, are about 0.6 inches long as adults and can often co-occur with Karner Blue Butterflies. Flox Flower Moths appear pink and their forewings arepink as adults are pink to reddish with triangular violet median areas and slender violet margins. The hind wings, which are rarely visible, are black with yellowish fringe. The wingspan is about 1.3 inches (33mm). Larvae are unlikely to be found but the head is dark or orange and the body is green suffused with reddish-brown and marked with light lateral stripes. This species is most often found on the brightest or"freshest" blossoms of its host plant, the downy phlox which occurs in pine/oak barrens and scrub oak habitat as well as prairies and roadsides on sandy soils. The downy flox requires open, sunny sites with some shade and doesn't appear to colonize new openings very quickly. The critical period of the downy flox's growth from the end of April through July coincides with adult emergence and larval development. It is therefore critical to time spring burns or mowing so that it doesn't disrupt the flowering of the downy flox, which is needed by the moths. Management is best conducted after mid-July once the moths have become pupae.

Status and NHI Documented Occurrences in Wisconsin

The table below provides information about the protected status (State and Federal Status) and the rank (S and G Ranks) for Phlox Moth (Schinia indiana). See the Working List Key for more information about the abbreviations used. Counties shaded blue have documented occurrences for this species in the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory database. For invertebrates, dots depict locations from the "Invertebrate Atlas," a database with occurrences of rare and common aquatic and select terrestrial invertebrate species found in Wisconsin and adjacent areas. While the invertebrate atlas is a quality assured database, not all records have been verified. The map is provided as a general reference of where this species has been found to date and is not meant as a range map.

Summary Information State Status: END Federal Status in Wisconsin: none State Rank: S2S3 Global Rank: G2G4 Tracked by NHI: Y Species of Greatest Conservation Need: Y

Detailed Information

Identification: The forewings are crimson with a subtle violet triangular median area and thin violet outer margin. The hindwings are black with white fringe. The head and thorax are dark gray and the abdomen black. This moth looks like a crimson wedge as it perches with its wings folded on the pink phlox blossom. Its distinctive appearance and close association with downy phlox (Phlox pilosa) makes it readily identifiable in Wisconsin. It is quite sedentary and spends much of the day resting on or among flowers. Wingspan: 17-21 mm. Length of forewing: 8-10 mm. Early instar larvae have a dark head and cream to pale greenish-yellow body. Later instars have orange heads and a green body with a greenish gray median line bordered by reddish brown (Hardwick 1958). Last instar larvae are green with a brown dorsal band and fine yellow lateral lines and rows of yellow dorso-lateral spots (Hardwick 1996).

Similar Species: Females of the common Noctuid, Galgula partita, are slightly larger with a darker maroon forewing.

Habitat: Sandy dry to dry-mesic savannas (black/Hill's oak or jack pine barrens) and small dry-mesic prairie openings with an abundance of Phlox pilosa. Also pine/oak barrens and scrub oak habitat. Often co-occurs with the Karner blue butterfly. Microhabitat includes pholox flower blossoms.

Host Plant: Downy phlox (Phlox pilosa).

State Distribution: Burnett, Eau Claire, Jackson, Menominee, and Monroe counties. May be more common than the number of currently known sites indicate due to difficulty experienced in finding the moths and the small number of individuals actively searching for new localities.

Global Distribution: Documented from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Arkansas.

Threats: Loss of habitat through reduction of barrens openings due to forest succession. Tree planting has also been implicated as a factor in habitat loss. The larval stage is exposed and susceptible to pesticide spraying during the spring. Inappropriate and ill-timed mowing or herbiciding of roadsides and powerline right-of-ways threaten habitat and immature stages.

Phenology: Adults are present during the last week of May to mid June.

Life History: Adults emerge in spring and females lay eggs on the inner surface of the sepals of the flower buds. Eggs hatch within a week and the larvae burrow into the flower bud and later the seeds to feed. Larvae mature within three weeks (Hardwick 1958) and by mid July have pupated and remain as pupae through the summer, fall, and winter. A remnant-dependent species.

Survey Guidance: The adult is diurnal and is not attracted to blacklight at night. Surveys require searching the flower heads of Phlox pilosa during the day. It is well camouflaged on phlox blossoms on which it rests, making it difficult to spot. The moths are most often found on the bright pink or “fresh” blossoms of phlox rather than those that are faded. Moths have also been observed to rest beneath the calyx of the flower or lower on the stem. Searches for the moth appear to be less productive under hot sunny conditions and are best conducted under cloudy to partly cloudy conditions, possibly early in the morning or late in the day, or when the day is cool or even rainy. See Incidental Take Protocols: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/take/pdfs/schiprot.pdf

Inventory, Monitoring and Research Needs: Locate new sites within the range of Phlox pilosa.

Management Guidance: Removal of phlox growth from May to July would be harmful to populations by flower loss or delayed flowering. Several S. indiana locations in Wisconsin are right-of ways where roadside mowing may be safely undertaken in August when presumably the species is underground. Depth of hibernation is unknown for this species so effects of soil disturbance or fire management during the period from August through April cannot be predicted. See Incidental Take Protocols: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/er/take/pdfs/schiprot.pdf

Information originally presented as part of the Online Field Guide to Rare Lepidoptera: Bogs and Barrens.

Photos

Click on a photo to view a larger version. Please considering donating your photos to the Endangered Resources Program for educational uses. See also information regarding use of photos

Phlox Moth - Male and female, Eau Claire County. Photo © Ann Swengel.

Photo © Robert Borth.

Photo © Les Ferge.

Related Links

Links to Additional Phlox Moth Information

• T&E Species in Forests of Wisconsin
• Grassland and Savanna Protocols
• MN Department of Natural Resources [Exit DNR]

Other Links Related to Butterflies and Moths

• Wisconsin Butterflies (Mike Reese)
• More Butterfly Links
• The Field Museum [Exit DNR]
• Online Field Guide to Rare Lepidoptera: Bogs and Barrens