Golden Aster Flower Moth

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1 Golden Aster Flower Moth Golden Aster Flower Moth Scientific Name Family Name Schinia tuberculum (Hübner, [1831]) Noctuidae Owlet Moths Did you know? Schinia is one of the largest and most successful genera of Lepidoptera, containing more than 120 species in North America (Wagner et al. 2008). Photo credits: Vernon Antoine Brou Jr. Summary Protection Not listed in New York State, not listed federally. Rarity G4, S2 This level of state protection means: The species is not listed or protected by New York State. A global rarity rank of G4 means: Apparently secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. A state rarity rank of S2 means: Typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or factors demonstrably make it very vulnerable in New York State. Conservation Status in New York Currently, the golden aster flower moth is known from only one location in the the Dwarf Pine Barrens on Long Island. There are several historical records from Long Island, however, additional surveys are needed to determine if it is still present at these and other locations. Although there is much suitable habitat on Long Island, this moth seems to be absent at many sites that appear to provide suitable habitat. It is best sought during the day by sweeping the flowers of its food source, and therefore it may be overlooked during field surveys. However, it also comes to blacklight. This moth is unlikely to occur elsewhere in the state outside of Long Island, since Long Island represents the northern edge of its range, and within New York its food plant occurs only on Long Island. NYNHP Conservation Guide - Golden Aster Flower Moth (Schinia tuberculum)

2 Short-term Trends The short-term trend for this species in New York State is unknown. Only one individual was documented on one occasion in the Dwarf Pine Barrens of Long Island during surveys conducted in 1999 and Long-term Trends The long-term trend for this species in New York State is unknown. There are several historical records from Long Island that should be surveyed. Conservation and Management Threats The threats to this species on Long Island are uncertain. It has been documented in the Dwarf Pine Barrens of Long Island, where fire is necessary to maintain the habitat type. However, this moth also occurs in other habitats, and thus it is not considered a barrens specialist. Elimination and fragmentation of habitat by commercial and residential development are probably the most significant threats to this species. Conservation Strategies and Management Practices Areas where this species has been found should be evaluated to avoid additional encroachment or fragmentation by development. In addition, minimizing lighting to maintain dark sky conditions would be beneficial. Habitat The golden aster flower moth is found in dry sandy areas that contain an abundance of its food source, Pityopsis falcata (sickle-leaf golden-aster, sickle-leaf silkgrass). P. falcata has yellow flowers, is found in dry sandy areas near the coast and in pine barrens, and flowers from July to September. Although this moth is found in barren-type habitats, it is not considered a barrens species, since it can also inhabit other habitat types. Associated Ecological Communities Pitch Pine-oak-heath Woodland A pine barrens community that occurs on well-drained, infertile, sandy soils. The structure of this community is intermediate between a shrub-savanna and a woodland. Pitch pine and white oak are the most abundant trees. Identification Comments Identifying Characteristics The golden aster flower moth is cryptically colored. Similar to many other flower moths (Wagner et al. 2008), its coloration is variable. In fact, seven different variations in appearance (phenotype) have been documented in Louisiana (V. Brou, personal communication). The forewings usually contain various shades of gold or red, and the hind wings usually are predominantly dark brown. Both the forewings and hind wings contain NYNHP Conservation Guide - Golden Aster Flower Moth (Schinia tuberculum) 2

3 pale patches. The wingspan is approximately 20 mm. Males seem to have larger wings than females, and the pattern on the forewings of males and females is different (Brou 2006). Best Life Stage for Identifying This Species Behavior Diet The adult is the best life stage for identification. This moth species has one annual generation. It is active both during the day (from the late morning to the afternoon) and at night (Hardwick 1996). During the day, it can be found resting on the stems and flower stalks, or feeding on the flowers, of its food source, Pityopsis falcata (sickle-leaf golden-aster, sickle-leaf silkgrass) (Wagner et al. 2008). At night, it is easily taken at light (Hardwick 1996). In New York State, the food source of the golden aster flower moth is Pityopsis falcata (sickle-leaf golden-aster, sickle-leaf silkgrass). Elsewhere in its range, P. graminifolia (narrowleaf silkgrass) has also been recorded as one of its food sources (Wagner et al. 2008), but this species does not occur in New York State. The Best Time to See The best time to see golden aster flower moths is during their flight season. In New York State, the moths have been documented to fly from late July to mid September. Present Reproducing Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec The time of year you would expect to find Golden Aster Flower Moth in New York. Conservation Comments In Covell (1984), an illustration of Schnia septentrionalis is mislabeled as Schinia tuberculum. Taxonomy Kingdom Phylum Class Animalia Mandibulates (Mandibulata) Insects (Insecta) NYNHP Conservation Guide - Golden Aster Flower Moth (Schinia tuberculum) 3

4 Order Family Butterflies, Skippers, and Moths (Lepidoptera) Noctuidae (Owlet Moths) Additional Resources Links Moth Photographers Group Butterflies and Moths of North America Owlet Caterpillars of Eastern North America (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) ent%20june% pdf Louisiana State Arthropod Museum NatureServe Explorer M Google Images BugGuide References Brou Jr., Vernon A Schinia tuberculum (Hubner) in Louisiana. South. Lepid. News 28: Covell, Charles V A field guide to the moths of eastern North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. Hardwick, D. F A monograph of the New World Heliothentinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Centre for Land and Biological Resources Research, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa Canada. 281 pp., 24 color plates. Heppner, J.B Lepidoptera of Florida. Part 1. Introduction and catalog. Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Areas. Volume 17. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville. 670 p. Keys, Jr.,J.; Carpenter, C.; Hooks, S.; Koenig, F.; McNab, W.H.; Russell, W.;Smith, M.L Ecological units of the eastern United States - first approximation (cd-rom), Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. GIS coverage in ARCINFO format, selected imagery, and map unit tables. NatureServe NatureServe Central Databases. Arlington, Virginia. USA NatureServe NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available (Data last updated August 2010) North American Moth Photographers Group at the Mississippi Entomological Museum. No date. Mississippi State University, Mississippi. Opler, Paul A., Kelly Lotts, and Thomas Naberhaus, coordinators Butterflies and Moths of NYNHP Conservation Guide - Golden Aster Flower Moth (Schinia tuberculum) 4

5 North America. Bozeman, MT: Big Sky Institute. (accessed May 2010). Schweitzer, Dale F Rare, potentially rare, and historic macrolepidoptera for Long Island, New York: A suggested inventory list. Wagner, D. L., D. F. Schweitzer, J. B. Sullivan, and R. C. Reardon Owlet Caterpillars of Eastern North America (Lepidoptera: Noctudiae) New York Natural Heritage Program 625 Broadway, 5th Floor, Albany, NY Phone: (518) acris@nynhp.org This project is made possible with funding from: - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Program - Division of Lands & Forests, Department of Environmental Conservation - New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Information for this guide was last updated on Aug 10, 2017 This guide was authored by Andrea Chaloux NYNHP Conservation Guide - Golden Aster Flower Moth (Schinia tuberculum) 5