Recovery Strategy for the for the Verna's Flower Moth (Schinia verna) in Canada - 2015 [Proposed]

Environment Canada. 2015. Recovery Strategy for the Verna's Flower Moth (Schinia verna) in Canada [Proposed]. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Environment Canada, Ottawa. vi + 18 pp.

For copies of the recovery strategy, or for additional information on species at risk, including COSEWIC Status Reports, residence descriptions, action plans, and other related recovery documents, please visit the SAR Public Registry.

Cover illustration: © Gary G. Anweiler

Également disponible en français sous le titre « Programme de rétablissement de l'héliotin de Verna (Schinia verna) au Canada [Proposition] ».

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of the Environment, 2015. All rights reserved.

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Content (excluding the illustrations) may be used without permission, with appropriate credit to the source.

The federal, provincial, and territorial government signatories under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk (1996) agreed to establish complementary legislation and programs that provide for effective protection of species at risk throughout Canada. Under the Species at Risk Act (S.C. 2002, c.29) (SARA), the federal competent ministers are responsible for the preparation of recovery strategies for listed Extirpated, Endangered, and Threatened species and are required to report on progress five years after the publication of the final document on the SAR Public Registry.

The Minister of the Environment is the competent minister under SARA for the Verna’s Flower Moth and has prepared this strategy, as per section 37 of SARA. To the extent possible, it has been prepared in cooperation with the Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba as per section 39(1) of SARA.

Success in the recovery of this species depends on the commitment and cooperation of many different constituencies that will be involved in implementing the directions set out in this strategy and will not be achieved by Environment Canada, or any other jurisdiction alone. All Canadians are invited to join in supporting and implementing this strategy for the benefit of the Verna’s Flower Moth and Canadian society as a whole.

This recovery strategy will be followed by one or more action plans that will provide information on recovery measures to be taken by Environment Canada and other jurisdictions and/or organizations involved in the conservation of the species. Implementation of this strategy is subject to appropriations, priorities, and budgetary constraints of the participating jurisdictions and organizations.

This document was written by Gary Anweiler and updated by Victoria Snable, Environment Canada-Canadian Wildlife Service. The following persons are acknowledged for providing information used in the preparation of this report: Medea Curteanu and Sharilyn Westworth, Environment Canada-Canadian Wildlife Service for unpublished Alberta survey information; Gary Anweiler, for information on Verna’s Flower Mothin Alberta; Dr. Chris Schmidt, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA); Dr. Felix Sperling and Danny Shpeley, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum, for access to specimens and data in their care; Dr. Mike Pogue for information on the identity of the Washington State Schina specimen; Dr. Richard Westwood, University of Winnipeg, for information regarding the Manitoba site surveys; Chris Friesen, Manitoba Conservation, for information about the Manitoba colony site; Gerry Rosset, Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Manitoba, for information on the Manitoba colony location; Chuck Harp, Littleton, CO, for information regarding Schinia in general. Reviews of earlier versions of the document provided by Pat Fargey (Alberta Environment & Sustainable Resource Development), and Colin Murray (Manitoba Conservation Data Centre) are greatly appreciated.

The Verna’s Flower Moth is a small day-flying moth that is difficult to identify. It has only been found in Canada in grazed native grassland pasture in the southern Prairie Provinces. Only two of these observations are recent, with a single individual observed at each location in 2000 and 2007. Recent searches (since 2007) at the known sites have failed to find any Verna’s Flower Moths. Data on distribution, population dynamics, and ecology is very limited for this species. Verna’s Flower Moth was listed as Threatened under the Species at Risk Act in 2009.

Verna's Flower Moths are dependent upon one or more species of the genus Antennaria, a small native composite plant, for all stages of its life cycle. They have a relatively low reproductive rate, laying only a few unusually large eggs with a single generation per year.

There are unknowns regarding the feasibility of recovering Verna’s Flower Moth; approaches to address these unknowns are presented in this recovery strategy. The population and distribution objective for Verna’s Flower Moth is to confirm occupancy at the two recent occurences in Canada and, if confirmed, to maintain occupancy at these two occurences as well as at any newly-discovered occurrences. Recovery planning will be carried out through three broad strategies: inventory and monitoring; research; habitat assessment, management and conservation.

Critical habitat has not been identified for the Verna’s Flower Moth in this recovery strategy. There is currently insufficient information available on this species’ distribution and specific habitat requirements to identify critical habitat. A schedule of studies has been developed to identify critical habitat for the Verna’s Flower Moth.

One or more Action Plans for the Verna’s Flower Moth will be posted on the Species at Risk Public Registry by 2020.

Under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) (Section 40), the competent minister is required to determine whether the recovery of the listed species is technically and biologically feasible. Based on the following four criteria that Environment Canada uses to establish recovery feasibility, there are unknowns regarding the feasibility of recovery of the Verna's Flower Moth. In keeping with the precautionary principle, a recovery strategy has been prepared as per section 41(1) of SARA, as would be done when recovery is determined to be feasible. This recovery strategy addresses the unknowns surrounding the feasibility of recovery

The Verna’s Flower Moth (Schinia verna) has a global conservation status of Unrankable (GU), and a national status in Canada of Critically Imperiled (N1). This species is found in all of the Prairie Provinces where it has a status of S1 (Critically Imperiled) in Manitoba, SH (Possibly Extirpated) in Saskatchewan, and SNR (Unranked) in Alberta (NatureServe 2014). Verna’s Flower Moth has not been recorded outside of Canada (COSEWIC 2005).

The species is listed as Threatened under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). It is not listed under provincial legislation in Canada.

The Verna's Flower Moth is a member of the Order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Family Noctuidae (owlet or cutworm moths). It is one of about 150 North American species belonging to the subfamily Heliothinae or flower moths, many of which are colourful in appearance and cryptic against the flowers on which they feed and rest (Hardwick 1996). The Verna's Flower Moth was first described in 1983 by D. Hardwick, even though the first specimen collected was in 1929 (Hardwick 1983).

Figure 1 : Adult Verna's Flower Moth.

Photograph of Adult Vern's Flower
Photo: © Gary G. Anweiler

Adult Verna's Flower Moths are relatively small with a stout body and wingspan of around 20 mm (COSEWIC 2005). They have a rapid, buzzing flight pattern (G. Anweiler, pers. comm. 2014). Male and female Verna's Flower Moth share similar appearances with the dorsal surface of the forewing olive-brown in colour with dull red-brown bands and cream-white patches (Figure 1; Hardwick 1983). The forewing margin has white and grey stripes. The ventral surface of the forewing is white, with black markings closer to the base of the wing. The dorsal hindwing is black and white with a margin that is black with many small white spots. The ventral hindwing is all white with very few dark markings present (Hardwick 1983; COSEWIC 2005).

The Verna’s Flower Moth is a diurnal (day-flying) moth. It has one generation per year with a brief flight period from late May to early June (COSEWIC 2005). Adult flower moths are short-lived and may only survive for seven days (Hardwick 1996). Eggs are large and translucent and are deposited within the flowering head of the larval host plant, pussytoes (Antennaria spp.). The larvae hatch within three days and have 5-6 instars over a period of approximately 17 days (Hardwick 1983).

The mature larvae is pale greenish-white with a yellow-green band across each body segment with rows of prominent black spots along the back and sides (Hardwick 1996). The mature larvae pupate and overwinter in the ground in a shallow tube, with the adults emerging the following spring (Hardwick 1983).

Verna’s Flower Moths can be difficult to identify in-flight, and can be mistaken for the more common White-spotted Midget (Eutricopis nexilis) that has similar habitat requirements and also feeds on Antennaria. These two flower moths can be differentiated by the coloring on the ventral side of the forewings: in Verna’s Flower Moth these are black and white in coloration, while the White-spotted Midget has distinctive pink spots (COSEWIC 2005).

Verna's Flower Moth has only been found in Canada in the southern Prairie Provinces, from southwestern Manitoba to southeastern Alberta. There are five reported occurrences of Verna's Flower Moths, only 2 of which are recent (Figure 2; COSEWIC 2005; ASRD and ACA 2008). There are no known occurrences of Verna’s Flower Moth outside of Canada. Reports of the collection of a possible Verna’s Flower Moth from Washington State (COSEWIC 2005) is now believed to belong to a related but undescribed species (M. Pogue, pers. comm., 2010).

The earliest record of Verna's Flower Mothis from the Medicine Hat, Alberta area in 1929. In 1979 a total of 18 specimens were collected near Glenboro, Manitoba (now Spruce Woods Provincial Park), and in 1980, one specimen was collected near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. These three occurences are considered historical as the most recent observations of Verna’s Flower Moth at these sites occurred more than 30 years ago. Recently, single specimens have been collected at two separate locations in Alberta: near Jenner in the Red Deer River Valley in 2000, and near Alliance in 2007 (Table 1).

Figure 2 : Occurences of Verna's Flower Moth in Canada where the species has been observed since 2000 and historical occurrences, where the species was last observed >30 years ago are presented in the map.

Map (See long description below)

Long Description for Figure 2
Table 1. Summary of Verna's Flower Moth occurrences in Canada.
Map Label Location Province Year # Individuals
1 Spruce Woods Provincial Park, North of Glenboro MB 1979 18
2 Saskatoon SK 1980 1
3 Medicine Hat AB 1929 1
4 Red Deer River Valley, North of Jenner AB 2000 1
5 Northwest of Alliance AB 2007 1

Recent surveys for Verna’s Flower Moths have failed to locate any specimens, despite the availability of apparently suitable habitat (COSEWIC 2005; Westwood 2010). Surveys conducted in 2010 at the two locations in southern Alberta (Jenner and Alliance) where Verna’s Flower Moths have recently been recorded did not locate any individuals, however, these surveys were limited in extent (M. Curteanu pers. comm., 2010). Surveys conducted in 2010 at four sites in the Aspen Parkland and Grassland Eco-regions in Alberta and Saskatchewan were also not successful at observing any Verna’s Flower Moths (Westworth 2012). Additional opportunistic surveys along roadsides in recent years in Alberta and central Saskatchewan containing the host plant, Antennaria, did not result in observations or captures of Verna’s Flower Moths (G. Anweiler, pers. comm., 2014).

At the remaining two historic sites (Saskatoon and Medicine Hat) the actual locations where the single specimens were collected are not known and thus have not been re-surveyed.

The current population size and trend for the Verna's Flower Moth is unknown given that the most recent records of this species have been the collection of a single specimen at two separate locations.

Verna's Flower Moth is a seemingly rare species that has only been observed in a small area of the total available, apparently suitable habitat. It is possible that the Verna's Flower Moth, similar to other species of Lepidoptera, occurs at low densities, experiences high larval mortality and large population fluctuations. Swengel and Swengel (1999) found that the population abundance of the Phlox Flower Moth (Schinia indiana) varied greatly from year to year, impacting the ability to find the species in the right locations at the right timing. There is potential that the same is true of Verna's Flower Moth population dynamics (COSEWIC 2005).

Habitat information for Verna’s Flower Moth is available from three of the locations where it has been found. Verna's Flower Moth inhabits native prairie grassland that is sparsely vegetated and supports one or more species of pussytoes (COSEWIC 2005). Species of pussytoes that have been found in association with Verna’s Flower Moth are: Antennaria aprica, A. neodioica, A. neglecta, and A. parvifolia (Hardwick 1983; ASRD and ACA 2008). At survey sites in Manitoba, A. parivofolia and A. neglecta were usually found growing together in the same area (Westwood 2010). These sites have all been located near river systems and treed areas (Hardwick 1983; COSEWIC 2005). Other plant species found where Verna’s Flower Moths were observed and thought to be characteristic of it’s habitat are: Three-flowered Avens (Geum triflorum), Prairie Crocus (Anemone patens), Fleabane (Erigeron spp.) and Mouse-eared Chickweed (Cerastium arvense) (ASRD and ACA 2008; Westwood 2010).

Verna's Flower Moths have been found only in the Prairie Ecozone. The Glenboro, MB and Saskatoon, SK sites are in the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion, and the Medicine Hat, Jenner, and Alliance sites are found in the Mixed Grassland Ecoregion.

Verna’s Flower Moth eggs are deposited directly into the flowering heads of Antennaria plants, which are then consumed by the larvae (Hardwick 1983). Adult Verna’s Flower Moths have also been observed feeding on Antennaria plants (G. Anweiler, pers. obs.). It is not known if the adult moths will use other spring flowers as a nectar source or if they rely solely on Antennaria for feeding. Antennaria are common plants found throughout the Prairies, therefore it is likely that other factors besides host plant availability is limiting the distribution and abundance of Verna’s Flower Moth.

Table 2. Threat Assessment Table
Threat Category Threat Level of ConcernNoteaof Table 2 Extent Occurrence Frequency SeverityNotebof Table 2 Causal CertaintyNotecof Table 2
Habitat Loss or Degradation Conversion of native habitat to crop and forage production Medium Widespread Current / Historical Continuous Unknown Low
Habitat Loss or Degradation Severe overgrazing Medium Localized Current Seasonal Unknown Low
Exotic, Invasive, or Introduced Species Invasion, and establishment of exotic plants Low Widespread Current Continuous Unknown Low
Changes in Ecological Dynamics or Natural Processes Alteration or suppression of natural fire regimes Low Localized Current Seasonal Unknown Low
Climate and Natural Disasters Stochastic events Low Widespread Current/
Anticipated
Continuous/
Unknown
Unknown Unknown

Threats are listed in order of decreasing concern. There is little information available on the ecology of, and threats to, Verna’s Flower Moth. The potential threats to this species described below are based on the knowledge that Verna’s Flower Moths rely on Antennaria during their larval and adult stages. The primary threats to Verna’s Flower Moth are those which contribute to the damage or loss of the larval host plants. This primarily occurs in the prairies through the loss and fragmentation of native, grazed grasslands as a result of crop production (COSEWIC 2005). Other secondary threat factors identified that may affect Verna’s Flower Moth are severe over-grazing, invasion and establishment of exotic plants, and alteration or suppression of natural grazing and/or fire regimes (COSEWIC 2005). However, given the scant information about the distribution and occurrence of this species, these secondary threats are largely speculative, based on the assumption that the species could occur in native pasture across much of the Prairie Ecozone.

Cultivation of native grassland for agricultural purposes results in the loss and degradation of habitat that supports flowering populations of one or more Antennaria species. The absence of flowering Antennaria would result in the loss of potential habitat for Verna’s Flower Moth as they rely on these plants during the larval and adult life stages for food. Tillage of the land during production would also disrupt and possibly result in mortality of the pupal stage that burrow in the ground in a shallow tube.

In Alberta and Saskatchewan, about 57% and 79% of native grasslands have been lost, primarily, though not exclusively, to agriculture in the past century (Nernberg and Ingstrup 2005). By 1996, cropland, summer fallow and improved pasture accounted for about 70% of all land use in the Canadian prairies (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 2000). While most of the prime land was converted long ago, some conversion has continued to occur in recent years. Between 1985 and 2001, about 6-8% and 8-11% of remaining native grasslands were converted to other uses within different grassland ecoregions of Saskatchewan and Alberta, respectively (Watmough and Schmoll 2007).

Ungulate grazing is a necessary natural process in maintaining healthy and diverse grassland ecosystems (SK PCAP, 2008). Grazing management that prevents the landscape from becoming unhealthy or improves the ecological health status benefits numerous species on the landscape (Adams et al. 2005). In order to effectively manage livestock grazing, it is necessary to operate and maintain infrastructure such as fencing, water sources, and salting locations to achieve the goal of rangeland health. Livestock do not graze in a uniform manner resulting in areas of low, high and moderate utilization that provide a patchy bio-diverse rangeland which meets the habitat requirements for many species. As such, grazing and the maintenance of the infrastructure supporting it may be a beneficial management practice for the Verna’s Flower Moth.

Vena's Flower Moths spend a large portion of their life as a pupae underground in a shallow tube. Trampling by cattle and other livestock may cause mortality of the pupae. (COSEWIC 2005). This may be particularly important in situations of severe to critical overgrazing.

Exotic and introduced forage species, such as Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula), Crested Wheat Grass (Agropyron cristatum) and Sweet Clover (Melilotus sp.), can out-compete native species, eventually taking over and altering ecosystem dynamics (Gordon 1998; Henderson and Naeth 2005). The presence of tall invasive plants can create a thick overstory that it is not conducive to the flowering of the Antennaria species. In Alberta, recent severe prolonged droughts on severely overgrazed lands resulted in weedy species such as Pasture Sage (Artemisia frigida Willd.) replacing native vegetation (ASRD and ACA 2008).

Fire is an important disturbance regime in grasslands across the Canadian prairies, both from human activities and natural causes (i.e. lightning). However, humans have altered the natural fire cycle and resulted in changes to the frequency of fires, the timing of fires and the severity or extent of fires (Samson et al 2004; Smith and McDermaid 2014). Often human activities have resulted in fewer fires, which result in higher litter loads. In these cases, when a fire does occur, it is often larger in extent and intensity.

Pussytoes can tolerate and often dominate following low to moderate severity fires. Bataineh et al. (2006) found that following a fire on Coconino National Forest, Colorado, Small-leaf Pussytoes were absent from plots that experienced high intensity fire, while on plots that had low to moderate fires, small-leaf pussytoes were a dominate vegetation species. High severity fires may temporarily or permanently remove the host plant for Verna’s Flower Moth, rendering it unsuitable for the species needs. Fires may also cause direct mortality of Verna’s Flower Moths during the spring and summer months when they are present as eggs, larvae and adults. The pupal stage may be able to withstand fires, including those of higher intensity as they remain burrowed underground for the majority of the year (COSEWIC 2005).

Verna’s Flower Moth relies on a single genus of host plant for feeding and egg laying and has a relatively short summer flight period. Therefore, it is likely more prone to local extinctions from random (stochastic) events (i.e., severe storms and winter conditions, droughts, or fires), than are species that have wider habitat needs, relying on a range of host plants and have stable populations (Tscharntke et al. 2002; Nilsson et al. 2008). Genetic effects attributed to habitat fragmentation, isolation, and stochastic events have been identified as possibly playing a significant role in local extinctions of Lepidoptera (Packer and Owen 2001).

There is limited information available on the abundance and distribution of Verna's Flower Moth. This species is only known from two recent observations in Canada, where one individual was captured at each site. Since these recent observations, Verna's Flower Moths have not been observed during more recent surveys. It should be noted that these more recent surveys were limited in their extent and may have been hampered by unfavourable weather conditions. Verna's Flower Moth is also difficult to identify in the field, and may be easily confused with the White-spotted Midget, especially by an unqualified observer. Consequently, comprehensive surveys under favourable conditions that cover a longer time period to ensure that they encompass the adult flight period are needed to confirm the presence of Verna's Flower Moth at these locations. Surveys should also be conducted at other sites with potentially suitable habitat to determine the extent of the Canadian distribution. As a result of the lack of information available on populations of Verna's Flower Moth, it is not currently feasible to establish quantitative population and distribution objectives.

The population and distribution objective for Verna's Flower Moth is to maintain occupancy at the two recent occurrences in Canada (should they be confirmed) and any newly-discovered occurrences.

Very little is known about the biology and ecology of the Verna's Flower Moth and demonstrating occupancy of the species is very difficult. However, since the completion of the COSEWIC status report in 2005 a few surveys have been undertaken and one additional occurrence in Alliance, Alberta has been confirmed.

Table 3. Recovery Planning Table
Broad Strategy Threat or Limitation PriorityNotedof Table 3 Broad Strategy to Recovery General Description of Research and Management Approaches
Population Inventory and Monitoring Knowledge gaps: Species Range and Distribution High Address gaps in knowledge of Verna’s Flower Moth range and distribution in Canada
  • Survey during the adult flight period at sites where the species has been previously recorded to confirm occupancy as well as at other sites with potentially suitable habitat and determine the extent of the Canadian distribution.
  • Coordinate Verna’s Flower Moth monitoring programs with those for other Lepidoptera in the Canadian Prairies.
Research Knowledge gaps: Species Biology High Address gaps in knowledge on the biology of Verna’s Flower Moth and its threats
  • Fill important knowledge gaps on Verna’s Flower Moth life history (e.g., additional host plant requirements for larvae and adults, temperature and moisture levels, microhabitat requirements, threat factors, etc.).
Habitat Assessment, Management and Conservation All threats High Identify threats and develop mitigation techniques to ensure availability of suitable habitat
  • Determine and implement beneficial management practices to achieve conservation of suitable habitat, and mitigation of threats.
  • Collaborate with land owners, land managers, government agencies and other relevant parties to promote, coordinate and implement habitat management and conservation efforts.
  • Integrate Verna's Flower Moth habitat management and stewardship efforts with those for other prairie species at risk in Canada.

Known occurrences of Verna’s Flower Moth make up a small portion of the potential suitable habitat available throughout the Prairie Provinces. The vast majority of suitable habitat has never been surveyed for Verna’s Flower Moths or has only been searched superficially and/or under less than ideal conditions. The adults have a brief flight period in spring, and surveys must be timed accordingly to ensure that survey effort is timed with Antennaria blooming. Consequently, it is likely that more intensive and extensive surveys of poorly surveyed or un-surveyed habitat in the southern Prairie Provinces will confirm the occupancy of previously identified occurrences and/or identify previously unreported occurrences of Verna's Flower Moths. Surveys for Verna’s Flower Moth should be combined with surveys for other SARA-listed lepidoptera that occupy the same habitat type.

As Verna’s Flower Moths can be difficult to identify in the field and are not known to be abundant, effective survey methods will need to be developed. This may include the use of several live-catch Malaise traps in addition to, or instead of hand-netting surveys to increase the probability of finding Verna’s Flower Moths (G. Anweiler, pers. comm., 2014).

Once occupied habitat is located, all threats need to be identified. Once each threat to the species and/or its habitat is identified and their relative importance to the population understood, mitigation techniques and beneficial management practices can be developed and implemented.

Critical habitat is defined in the Species at Risk Act (Subsection 2(1)) as “the habitat that is necessary for the survival or recovery of a listed wildlife species and that is identified as the species’ critical habitat in the recovery strategy or in an action plan for the species”.

Critical habitat has not been identified for the Verna’s Flower Moth in this recovery strategy. There is currently insufficient information available on this species’ distribution and specific habitat requirements to identify critical habitat. Occupancy of the species has not been re-confirmed at the two recent locations in Alberta where only one individual was captured, nor at the location in Manitoba where the type specimens were collected in 1979. Additional surveys of these locations, as well as other locations with suitable habitat need to be carried out to confirm the species presence and identify specific habitat needs of the species. These studies are outlined below in the schedule of studies to identify critical habitat for Verna’s Flower Moth.

Table 4. Schedule of Studies to Identify Critical Habitat for Verna's Flower Moth
Description of Activity Rationale Timeline
Survey the locations where Verna's Flower Moth have been previously recorded Confirm occupancy of the species at previously recorded locations 2015-2017
Identify and survey potentially suitable habitat for Verna's Flower Moth in the Prairies Determine the presence of Verna's Flower Moth at additional locations 2015-2017
Identify environmental parameters at known colony locations once confirmed (i.e. soil type, moisture levels, landform, annual temperature and moisture level, vegetation composition) Determine specific habitat requirements for Verna's Flower Moth 2015-2017

The performance indicators presented below provide a way to define and measure progress toward achieving the population and distribution objectives.

Progress towards meeting the population and distribution objectives, must be reported within five years after this recovery strategy is finalized. Success of recovery strategy implementation will be measured against the following indicator:

One or more action plans for the Verna’s Flower Moth will be completed by 2020. Efforts with other organizations working in grasslands should be coordinated to benefit multiple species at risk inhabiting this ecosystem.

A strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is conducted on all SARA recovery planning documents, in accordance with the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals. The purpose of a SEA is to incorporate environmental considerations into the development of public policies, plans, and program proposals to support environmentally sound decision-making and to evaluate whether the outcomes of a recovery planning document could affect any component of the environment or any of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS)'s goals and targets.

Recovery planning is intended to benefit species at risk and biodiversity in general. However, it is recognized that strategies may also inadvertently lead to environmental effects beyond the intended benefits. The planning process based on national guidelines directly incorporates consideration of all environmental effects, with a particular focus on possible impacts upon non-target species or habitats. The results of the SEA are incorporated directly into the strategy itself, but are also summarized below in this statement.

The two recent occurences of Verna’s Flower Moth occur in a small proportion of the potential range for the species based on habitat availability and distribution of Antennaria species, which serve as its host. It is possible that further populations of Verna’s Flower Moth will be discovered within the Prairie Ecozone, thus management for this species will likely be beneficial to many other species at risk in this ecosystem, such as: Ord’s Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii), Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis dychei), Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer (Coluber constrictor), Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia), Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides), Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor), Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii), Small-flowered Sand-verbena (Tripterocalyx micranthus), Tiny Cryptantha (Cryptantha minima), Smooth Goosefoot (Chenopodium subglabrum), Slender Mouse-ear-cress (Halimolobos virgata), and Gold-edged Gem (Schinia avemensis). Coordination of efforts with recovery for other prairie species should be achieved to ensure resources are well placed.

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