Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFSphingidae Members: Lintneria Members: 13 NC Records

Lintneria eremitus (Hübner, 1823) - Hermit Sphinx

Lintneria eremitusLintneria eremitusLintneria eremitusLintneria eremitus
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Bombycoidea		 Family:
Sphingidae		Subfamily:
Sphinginae		Tribe:
Sphingini		P3 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.
Lintneria eremitusAlamance Alexander Alleghany Anson Ashe Avery Beaufort Bertie Bladen Brunswick Buncombe Burke Cabarrus Caldwell Camden Carteret Caswell Catawba Chatham Cherokee Chowan Clay Cleveland Columbus Craven Cumberland Currituck Dare Davidson Davie Duplin Durham Edgecombe Forsyth Franklin Gaston Gates Graham Granville Greene Guilford Halifax Harnett Haywood Henderson Hertford Hoke Hyde Iredell Jackson Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Macon Madison Martin McDowell Mecklenburg Mitchell Montgomery Moore Nash New Hanover Northampton Onslow Orange Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Person Pitt Polk Randolph Richmond Robeson Rockingham Rowan Rutherford Sampson Scotland Stanly Stokes Surry Swain Transylvania Tyrrell Union Vance Wake Warren Washington Watauga Wayne Wilkes Wilson Yadkin Yancey
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge 		Image showing flight dates by month for High Mountains greater than 4,000 feet, Low Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain: adults.