Moths of North Carolina
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6 NC Records

Schinia jaguarina (Guenée, 1852) - Jaguar Flower Moth

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: HeliothinaeP3 Number: 932073.00 MONA Number: 11132.00
Comments: One of 126 species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2011), the majority of which occur in the West; 25 have been recorded in North Carolina.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1954); Hardwick (1996); Bess (2005)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Wyatt (1953); Hardwick (1996); Bess (2005)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A medium sized Noctuid but one of the largest Flower Moths. This species has a bicolored pattern, with the median and terminal areas of the forewing being tan to luteous and contrasting with the darker brown basal and subterminal areas. The antemedian and postmedian lines are pale and fine; the spots are obscure. The hindwing is bright yellow with a dark brown discal spot and terminal band; a yellow spot is also located next to the margin within the terminal band and is diagnostic for this species (Forbes, 1954). Schinia lynx has a similar pattern but is much smaller and lacks the yellow spot in the marginal band. Photographs submitted as records for this species should show the hindwings; otherwise, some measurement of wingspan or forewing length should be provided.
Wingspan: 32 mm (Forbes, 1954)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from photos showing hindwings, abdomen, or other specialized views [e.g., frons, palps, antennae, undersides].
Immatures and Development: Larvae are green with a pale yellow head with rows of dark spots -- one on each segment -- both along the spiracles and subdorsally (Wyatt, 1953). The body is also lined with narrow, whitish stripes (Hardwick, 1996; Bess, 2005).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Probably restricted to the southern half of the Coastal Plain, including the Fall-line Sandhills
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Univoltine, flying in June and July
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Except for the historic record given in Brimley (1938), for which the habitat was not recorded, all of our records come from loammy Longleaf Pine savannas or Sandhill Seeps possessing populations of Orbexilum peduncutlatum and other species of Fabaceae indicative of clay layers embedded within otherwise sandy substrates.
Larval Host Plants: Stenophagous, feeding on species of Scurf-pea (formerly Psoralea but now divided into Orbexelium and a few other genera) (Wyatt, 1953; Bess, 2005). In North Carolina, it appears to be associated with Orbexelum pedunculatum (= Psoralea psoraliodes), a host plant also used in the Ohio Valley (Bess, 2005). - View
Observation Methods: Comes at least to some extent to blacklights, but searches for larvae or adults resting on the flowers of the host plant may provide a more efficient way of surveying for this species.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for Loamy, Fire-maintained Herblands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: SR
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4 S1S3
State Protection: Listed as Significantly Rare by the Natural Heritage Program. That designation, however, does not confer any legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: This species is strongly associated with native grasslands and has the main part of its range in the prairies of the Midwest (Bess, 2005; Metzlar et al., 2005). Despite its wide range, it is considered local or rare in most of the area where it occurs (Bess, 2005). In North Carolina, we have only a few records, all from very high quality Longleaf Pine communities with particular soil conditions. As elsewhere in its range, suppression of the natural fire regime has had a major impact on the open, herbaceous communities upon which this species strongly depends. Larvae are also likely to be highly vulnerable to fire, at least during the late summer when they are actively feeding. The pupal stage, in which they spend most of the year, in contrast, is probably fairly immune to the effects of at least light ground fires. Avoidance of late summer burns, consequently, should be incorporated into management plans directed at the conservation of this species, as well as several other Flower Moths that occupy the same habitats and follow similar life histories.

 Photo Gallery for Schinia jaguarina - Jaguar Flower Moth

Photos: 1

Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan and Steve Hall on 2021-06-08
Scotland Co.
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