Endangered Resources Program Species Information
Bina Flower Moth (Schinia bina)

Overview

Species Overview

Bina Flower Moth (Schinia bina) The forewings are olive-brownish with buff spots in the median area and a buff marginal band. The hindwing is dark brownish-black marked with a variable yellow median spot but usually with a submarginal yellow spot. Wingspan: 23 mm. Length of forewing: 11 mm.

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 Bina Flower Moth (Schinia bina). 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: SC/N Federal Status in Wisconsin: none State Rank: S2? Global Rank: G4 Tracked by NHI: Y Species of Greatest Conservation Need: Y

Detailed Information

Identification: The forewings are olive-brownish with buff spots in the median area and a buff marginal band. The hindwing is dark brownish-black marked with a variable yellow median spot but usually with a submarginal yellow spot. Moth on hawkweeds (Hieracium spp.) during the day. Send specimen to a specialist for identification. Wingspan: 23 mm. Length of forewing: 11 mm. Last instar larvae are highly variable, brown to green, with a row of lighter green to yellow subdorsal patches. The pupa is orange-brown (Hardwick 1996).

Similar Species: Few other day-flying moths look similar. Darker individuals of Schinia obscurata could be confused, but usually have some yellow on the basal hindwing and lack a yellow marginal spot.

Habitat: Pine barrens supporting native hawkweeds.

Host Plant: Preferred hosts in various parts of the range are uncertain, a number of composites (Asteraceae) are possible. In Texas, captive females oviposited on and larvae fed on Verbesina encilioides flowers, and one larva was found on Gaillardia pulchella (Hardwick 1996). Adults in Wisconsin and Michigan are associated with both orange and yellow hawkweeds, which are suspected to be the larval host here.

State Distribution: Bayfield, Portage and Vilas counties. Because the moth is not attracted to lights and finding this species is labor intensive, it is greatly under-represented in collections. In view of the widespread occurrence of the suspected hawkweed hosts, it may well be more common than available records indicate.

Global Distribution: North from the region of Mexico City through New Mexico and central Florida; north to Saskatchewan and Manitoba (Hardwick 1996); east to Wisconsin and Michigan.

Threats: Habitat loss due to woody species and forest encroachment. Timing of prescribed burns is essential so that the hostplants flower at the proper time for larvae to eat the flowers and seeds.

Phenology: Collections have been made in Wisconsin from 30 May 1977 (an extraordinarily early season) through 25 June 1996.

Life History: In Texas, it was recorded that eggs hatch four days after deposition and that larvae matured in a mean of 16.7 days.

Survey Guidance: The adult is diurnal and is not attracted to blacklight at night. Surveys require searching the flower heads of hawkweeds and possibly other Compositae, during the daylight hours.

Inventory, Monitoring and Research Needs: Locate more populations and determine the host plants in Wisconsin. New records should be documented with voucher specimens.

Management Guidance: Schinia moths overwinter as pupae in the soil and therefore are not vulnerable to spring fires.

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

Photo © Les Ferge.

Related Links

Links to Additional Bina Flower Moth Information

• Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA) [Exit DNR]
• Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility (CBIF) [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