Bug FAQSpanish Needles Flower Moth
Schinia niveicosta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
The Spanish Needles Flower Moth lives in the southwestern United States, including parts of Utah, Arizona, California, Nevada, and surrounding areas. [native_range] Its caterpillars eat the plant Palafoxia linearis. [diet] Adults are most often seen in March and April, but they have also been recorded in other months throughout the year. [season]
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on the plant Palafoxia linearis. [diet]
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 4 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are Spanish Needles Flower Moths active?
Adults are most commonly seen in March and April, though they have also been observed in other months of the year. [season]
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schinia_niveicosta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.