Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163
Schinia felicitata
This record describes Schinia felicitata (species). Recorded family: Noctuidae. Recorded order: Lepidoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Upper side of forewing pastel pink, with tawny-yellow band along terminal edge; head pink; thorax and abdomen tawny-yellow above; upper side of hindwing dark (smoky grey-black). The pink wings of S. felicitata are thought to provide camoflage from predators when adults are resting on the host plant . The flowers of the host age to a pink color , and the buds and sepals are often reddish.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
- Superfamily
- Noctuoidea
- Family
- Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
- Subfamily
- Heliothinae
- Genus
- Schinia (Flower Moths)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Desert dunes, or other sandy areas where host plant grows.
Geographic Range
s CA through s NV, to sw UT and w AZ.
Seasonal Activity
March-April
Diet and Behavior
Diet: Larval host plant is the desert bird-cage evening primrose ( Oenothera deltoides ).
Life History
Larva feed on buds, blossoms, and seed capsules of Oenothera deltoides and undergo five instars. See Hardwick for further details.
About Butterflies and Moths: the wider group
Order-level background for Lepidoptera, the group containing Schinia felicitata. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Ecological role of the group
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Recorded sources for this group: IUCN Red List, Xerces Society, USFWS, PNAS, WWF. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163 (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Aaron Schusteff; Additional contributions by Maury Heiman
Frequently Asked Questions About Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163
What is Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163?
Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163 (Schinia felicitata) is a species in the family Noctuidae, within the order Lepidoptera.
How do you identify Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163?
Upper side of forewing pastel pink, with tawny-yellow band along terminal edge; head pink; thorax and abdomen tawny-yellow above; upper side of hindwing dark (smoky grey-black).
Where is Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163 found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Desert dunes, or other sandy areas where host plant grows. |
| Range | s CA through s NV, to sw UT and w AZ. |
What does Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163 eat?
The diet of the Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163 includes Larval host plant is the desert bird-cage evening primrose ( Oenothera deltoides )..
When is Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163 active?
Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163: seasonal activity - March-April.
What is the life cycle of a Schinia felicitata - Hodges#11163?
Larva feed on buds, blossoms, and seed capsules of Oenothera deltoides and undergo five instars. See Hardwick for further details.