Verna's flower moth (Schinia verna) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 11

Summary of Status Report

Verna’s Flower Moth is known from only four localities globally, all of which are in the Canadian prairie grasslands. The current status and exact location of most (3 of 4) of the occurrences are unknown. Field surveys of the historical colony sites are needed, as are searches for new colonies in suitable habitats supporting the host plants Antennaria aprica and A. neglecta. Without such fieldwork, it is impossible to make any management recommendations for this range-restricted species.

The available data suggest that this species is closely dependent on lightly vegetated, xeric microhabitats where the hostAntennaria plants are common, in grasslands of the Prairie Ecozone, including the Mixed Grassland and Aspen Parkland Ecoregions. Suitable habitats may be dependent upon natural or artificial disturbance, such as grazing or fire.

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