Moths of North Carolina

Scientific Name:	Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

View PDF	Sphingidae Members:	Eumorpha Members:	1 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, BOLD	Technical 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: Known in North Carolina from only a single record from the Tidewater Region.
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) Click on graph to enlarge
Flight Comments: Unclear in North Carolina.

Habitats and Life History

Habitats:

Larval Host Plants: Stenophagous, larvae feeding on Vitaceae, mainly wild grapes and Virginia Creeper. - 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 tangles 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 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.

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