Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
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View PDFSphingidae Members:
Eumorpha Members:
2 NC Records

Eumorpha intermedia (B.P. Clark, 1917) - Intermediate Sphinx

No image for this species.
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Bombycoidea		 Family:
Sphingidae		Subfamily:
Macroglossinae		Tribe:
Macroglossini		P3 Number:
890183		 MONA Number:
7860.00
Comments: This is largely a Neotropical genus but 12 species are recorded from the U.S. and 5 from North Carolina.
Species Status: Barcodes indicate a single species.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984)Online Resources: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLDTechnical Description, Adults: Hodges (1971); Tuttle (2007)Technical Description, Immature Stages: Tuttle (2007)                                                                                 
Adult Markings: Similar but slightly smaller than Eumorpha pandorus; browner and the underside is rusty red instead of gray green (see Brou, 2011, for illustrations). Sexes are similar.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: As described and illustrated by Tuttle (2007), late instar larvae range in color from green to reddish; pale dorsal and subdorsal stripes are present, along with the usual sphingid pattern of pale oblique stripes -- bordered by black -- along the sides. The entire body is stippled with white setae, which are encircled by black at the base. As is typical for Eumorpha, the caudal horn is well-developed in early instars but is replaced by a button in the last one (see Tuttle, 2007, for details). Pupation occurs underground.
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos, especially where associated with known host plants.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution: Apparently quite rare in North Carolina, as of 2024 we only have two records from the Coastal Plain.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Eumorpha intermedia
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Unclear in North Carolina.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are stenophagous, feeding on the Vitaceae, including wild grapes (Vitis) and Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) (Heppner, 2007). Our only larval record (iNaturalist, Heather Perusini) in North Carolina is for a caterpillar apparently feeding on Peppervine (Nekemias arborea). - View
Observation Methods: Adults, like other members of this genus, probably visit flowers but do not come to bait. The scarcity of records both in North Carolina and elsewhere may be due to their lack of attraction to low intensity UV and other lights; more records might be obtained from use of mercury-vapor. Larval surveys of grape and Peppervine may be productive as they are for E. pandorus.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Vitaceous Tangles
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G3G4 SNR [SU]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Most likely, this species is a migrant to our area from its core range along the Gulf Coast. However, records are scarce even within the heart of its range and it is at least possible that it could establish temporary colonies in our area. According to Bo Sullivan: "Other than the single record I took, I have not knowingly seen it since. However, the species is obviously not often seen or not often recognized. You need the underside in order to determine the species which eliminates most photographs. No doubt many are identified as E. pandorus. There is no reason it is not regularly seen in the Coastal Plain since the foodplant (Nekemias arborea) is very common. Sphingids respond to strong UV light sources (mercury vapor, sun lamps, etc.) but many species rarely come to 15 watt UV bulbs. I suspect it is mostly overlooked because it is difficult to catch and to identify."