Species Schinia luxa - Hodges#11203

11203

Schinia luxa (Grote, 1881)

Bessula luxa Grote, 1881

Phylogenetic sequence #932066 (1)

Wingspan 30 mm (Grote, 1881).

Adult - forewing pale yellow with several dark dots in specific locations: one serves as the orbicular spot, another serves as the midpoint of the otherwise invisible AM line, and two more are spaced apart along the otherwise invisible PM line; reniform spot represented by a faint chevron; no visible subterminal line; terminal line composed of a series of dark dots; hindwing white. Figured by W. J. Holland. (2)

Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas as far east as Big Bend National Park.

Desert scrub.

Adults fly in August and September.

Larvae feed on blazingstar (Mentzelia) in the wild and readily take snap peas in captivity.

Schinia citrinellus forewing has a single dark dot, a faint subterminal line, lacks a dotted terminal line, and its hindwing has a broad blackish terminal band.

Trichocosmia inornata forewing has no dark dots.

Holland, W.J. 1915. The moth book: a polular guide to the knowledge of the moths of North America. p.221 (2)

Grote, A.R. 1881. Moths collected by Prof. Snow in New Mexico, with list of Eudriini. Papilio 1(9): 176

Moth Photographers Group - photos of pinned and living moths.

Southwestmoths.org - life cycle photos and info

Butterfliesandmooths.org - species page with distribution map

Chuck Harp - host plant, habitat and distribution

presence in California; list of 2 specimen records with dates and locations (U. of California at Berkeley)