arcigera flower moth

(Schinia arcigera)

arcigera flower moth
Photo by Mike Poeppe
  Hodges #

11128

 
 
Conservation Status
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
 
Description
 
 

Arcigera flower moth is a small owlet moth.

The forewing of the male is dark brown or maroonish-brown near the base, pale brown in the median area, dark brown or maroonish-brown in the postmedial area, and light brown in the subterminal area. The antemedial line is white, convex, and evenly curved. The postmedial line is white, smooth, and broadly S-shaped. The female forewing is more gray.

The hindwing of the male is yellow in the basal and median areas, black in the postmedial and subterminal areas, with a black, rectangular, discal spot. The hindwing of the female is all black.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

Wingspan: to 1

Total length: ½

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
  Ragweed flower moth (Schinia rivulosa) wings are light and dark gray. The postmedian line is deeply curved.  
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Fields with asters

 
     
 
Biology
 
 

Season

 
 

One generation per year: late July to mid-September

 
     
 

Behavior

 
 

Adults are nocturnal and are attracted to light, but can also be found taking nectar on flowers during the day.

 
     
 

Life Cycle

 
 

Eggs are laid on the flowers of host species.

 
     
 

Larva Hosts

 
 

Asters, including purple-stem aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum var. puniceum), smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve), and white heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides); also Canadian horseweed (Conyza canadensis).

 
     
 

Adult Food

 
 

Flower nectar

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

 
  8/14/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
 

Order

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)  
 

Superfamily

Noctuoidea (owlet moths and allies)  
 

Family

Noctuidae (cutworm moths and allies)  
 

Subfamily

Heliothinae  
 

Genus

Schinia (flower moths)  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Schinia limbalis

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

arcigera flower moth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
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Mike Poeppe

 
    arcigera flower moth      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    arcigera flower moth   arcigera flower moth  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Schinia arcigera (Arcigera Flower Moth)
Allen Chartier
  Schinia arcigera (Arcigera Flower Moth)  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Arcigera Flower Moth (Noctuidae: Schinia arcigera) Dorsal View
Carl Barrentine
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jul 26, 2011

Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (26 July 2011). Thank you to Maury Heiman (@Bugguide.net) for confirming the identity of this specimen!

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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  Mike Poeppe
8/11/2022

Location: Houston County, MN

arcigera flower moth

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


Created 3/18/2019

Last Updated:

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