Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFSphingidae Members:
Lintneria Members:
12 NC Records

Lintneria eremitus (Hübner, 1823) - Hermit Sphinx

Lintneria eremitusLintneria eremitusLintneria eremitusLintneria eremitus
Taxonomy
Superfamily: Bombycoidea Family: SphingidaeSubfamily: SphinginaeTribe: SphinginiP3 Number: 890128 MONA Number: 7796.00
Comments: Long a member of the genus Sphinx, this species is now included in Lintneria along with 4 other species in North America and about 15 from the Neotropics. Larval characters unite the genus.
Species Status: Barcodes indicate that Lintneria eremitus is a single, well-defined species in our area.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Forbes (1948); Hodges (1971); Tuttle (2007)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Forbes (1948); Wagner (2005); Tuttle (2007)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: A dark, heavily streaked sphinx moth. A black triangular patch at the base of the hindwing and two well-developed bands on the hindwing distinguish this species; photographs should show a portion of the hindwings should be sufficient to separate this species from Paratrea and other species with heavy markings and a pale discal spot on the forewings. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 6.5 - 7.5 cm (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: The larva has a peculiar dorsal protuberance on the second thoracic segment in early instars which disappears in the fifth larval stage and is replaced by a diagnostic hump. This transformation unites the members of the genus and all 5 species in the U.S. feed on mints. A large, dark eyespot is also typically found on the dorsal surface of the thorax (Wagner, 2005).
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Records from the Piedmont all appear to be historic (from Brimley, 1938). Recent records are all from New River State Park in the northern mountains.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

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