The New Mexico Rare Arthropod Resource

This species occurs only in the gypsum sand dune ecosystem of the Chihuahuan Desert. Adults are attracted to black light. The larval form and host plant of Schinia poguei is unknown, but specimens were collected in interdune areas populated by cottonwoods (Populus spp.) and saltbush (Atriplex spp.) (Metzler and Forbes 2011).

Schinia moths are called the “flower moths” because as caterpillars they feed on buds or flowers of their host plant. In most cases, Schinia are oligophagous, meaning specialized to feed on one genus or a few related genera of plants (Mitter et al. 1993). In Texas, many species are known in association with Asteraceae plants. Often adults in this genus have tight association with their host plants; the oviposit on the plant and pollinate it, at the same time (D. Wagner pers. comm. 2024). Larvae are short-lived, feeding for less than a month, perhaps due to this flower-specific lifestyle (Peigler and Vinson 1988). They are also found frequently as adults on flowers, resting during daylight hours, feeding on nectar, and providing pollination services at night (BugGuide 2024).

This moth is only known from the Tularosa Basin of Otero County, in southern New Mexico, particularly within White Sands National Park (Metzler and Forbes 2011). It has been collected from just two localities in close proximity to each other, though it is possible the species will eventually be recorded in additional areas of the gypsum sand ecosystem.

The majority of gypsum sand habitat in New Mexico is under management by the National Park Service and the US Department of Defense (DOD). This species occurs in White Sands National Park, which is the world’s largest white gypsum sand field and completely protected from resource extraction and development (Metzler et al. 2009). The neighboring dune area is managed by the DOD White Sands Missile Range, so the degree of disturbance affecting this moth’s habitat there is unknown. However, neither site manages habitat for this species specifically. This species is poorly understood. Research on the distribution, population size and trend, habitat and life history, and the impact of threats is needed.

This species is endemic to the White Sands gypsum ecosystem. Insect species of the gypsum sands are relatively poorly characterized (Metzler et al. 2009). However because of its small range, Schinia poguei may be highly habitat-specific and adapted to feed on plants of the unique gypsum soils of White Sands (Metzler 2021).

The White Sands dune field is an ecosystem at risk of instability due to extensive groundwater extraction on the eastern edge of the Tularosa Basin. Hydrologic modeling has shown that increased groundwater pumping in response to increased temperatures and drought conditions will lead to water level decreases up to 1.5 meters. The dune field only exists as a permanent landscape feature because the gypsum sands are held in place at the base by water weight wicked up from the ground, so a decrease in water resources could result in increased sand motility, and therefore instability of the interdune habitats where herbivorous insects live (Bourret 2015).

Groundwater extraction is more heavily utilized in periods of drought and increased temperatures. The Southwestern U.S. saw its driest 22-year period from 2000 to 2021, since at least 800 CE (the time period used in previous climatic reconstructions) (Williams et al. 2022). Droughts are projected to become more prolonged, severe, and common in the region under future climate change scenarios (USGCRP 2018). In addition to increased groundwater use, drought may impact the species in other ways. Drought has been shown to advanced timing to adulthood has been observed in some butterfly species, which may lead to phenological mismatch with plant resources (Forister et al. 2018) and drought may adversely impact larval host plants and nectar sources (Pettorelli et al. 2007, Gottfried et al. 2012). In addition, endemic species are on average at three times higher risk of extinction from threat of climate change than other native species (Manes et al. 2021)

White Sands is also threatened by invasive species, in particular Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), which creeps into the interdune areas where the water table is high and outcompetes native plants while increasing soil salinity (Hager 1998).

The population size and trend are not known for this species. As it was not described until 2011 (Metzler and Forbes 2011), and because of lack of survey, it has not been recorded regularly since time of description.

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