Schinia psamathea
Encyclopedia
Schinia psamathea is a moth
of the Noctuidae
family. It is known from east-central Georgia
southwestward to the Panhandle of Florida
, southeastern Alabama
, and southwestern Mississippi
. It seems to prefer sandy soils either in dune type habitats or near sandy beaches.
It is unique within the genus in having a simple forewing pattern that consists of only a slightly sinuate, dark-brown postmedial line and a solid-colored hind wing.
The length of the forewings is 12.6–14.2 mm for males and 12.6–13.8 mm for females. Adults are active in the mid- to late afternoon and are attracted to light. They nectar on several different flowers and the flight is similar to other day-flying Schinia, being very fast and darting. Adults fly between 7 September and the end of October, being most abundant in mid-October.
The larvae possibly feed on Chrysoma pauciflosculosa.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Noctuidae
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae or owlet moths are a family of robustly-built moths that includes more than 35,000 known species out of possibly 100,000 total, in more than 4,200 genera. They constitute the largest family in the Lepidoptera....
family. It is known from east-central Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
southwestward to the Panhandle of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, southeastern Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and southwestern Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. It seems to prefer sandy soils either in dune type habitats or near sandy beaches.
It is unique within the genus in having a simple forewing pattern that consists of only a slightly sinuate, dark-brown postmedial line and a solid-colored hind wing.
The length of the forewings is 12.6–14.2 mm for males and 12.6–13.8 mm for females. Adults are active in the mid- to late afternoon and are attracted to light. They nectar on several different flowers and the flight is similar to other day-flying Schinia, being very fast and darting. Adults fly between 7 September and the end of October, being most abundant in mid-October.
The larvae possibly feed on Chrysoma pauciflosculosa.