Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFSphingidae Members: Hyles Members: 76 NC Records

Hyles lineata (Fabricius, 1775) - White-lined Sphinx

Hyles lineataHyles lineataHyles lineataHyles lineata
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Bombycoidea		 Family:
Sphingidae		Subfamily:
Macroglossinae		Tribe:
Macroglossini		P3 Number:
890217		 MONA Number:
7894.00		 Other Common Names:
Purslane Caterpillar, White-lined Hawk Moth
Comments: Our only truly cosmopolitan genus of some 29 species of which 3 occur in North America and 1 in North Carolina.
Species Status: Barcodes indicate a single 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 striking, robust species. Fore-wings are dark brown with a tan diagonal streak and cross-banded with a series of fine white lines . The hindwings have bands of black along the costal and outer margins with a bright pink band in between. In our area, this species is likely to be confused only with the much larger Eumorpha fasciata, which has two tan streaks on the forewing and a pink outer edge to the hindwing. Sexes are similar.
Wingspan: 6.3 - 9 cm (Covell, 1984)
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are highly variable in both color and pattern, ranging from green to black to yellow and often with a complex pattern of streaks and spots (see Wagner, 2005, 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: Occurs statewide, from the Barrier Islands to the High Mountains.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Hyles lineataAlamance 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%20Hanover 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.
Immature 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: immatures.
Flight Comments: Probably 2-3 broods over most of the state.
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: The majority of our records come from open habitats, especially dune habitats on Barrier Islands and lake and river shorelines and wet meadows inland.
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are reportedly polyphagous, feeding on a wide range of plants (including surprisingly small plants for such a large caterpillar). Potential native hosts include Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium), Lamb's-quarters (Chenopodium album), willowherb (Epilobium), fleabane (Erigeron), evening-primrose (Oenothera), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), plantain (Plantago), purslane (Portulaca), cherry (Prunus), currant (Ribes), rose (Rosa), blackberry (Rubus), elderberry (Sambucus), elm (Ulmus), grape (Vitis), and cocklebur (Xanthium) (Mejia et al., 2020). Of these, we only have confirmed records for evening-primrose (including Oenothera biennis) and purslane, and more research is needed to determine if other hosts are used in North Carolina. - View
Observation Methods: Actively visits flowers even during the day but does not come to bait. Appears to come relatively well to 15 watt UV lights and building lights. Larvae are often conspicuous and in the deserts of the west can form tremendous outbreaks.
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Successional Fields and Forblands
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S3S5]
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments: Statewide in distribution and occupying a wide range of open habitats, including disturbed areas, this species appears to be secure.

 Photo Gallery for Hyles lineata - White-lined Sphinx

 47 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-09-11
Watauga Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Merrill Lynch on 2025-09-11
Watauga Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-09-08
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2025-09-08
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Paul Hart on 2025-08-21
Harnett Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Paul Hart on 2025-08-21
Harnett Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-29
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-07-29
Madison Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Linda Cooke on 2025-07-24
Johnston Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2025-07-21
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik, Rob Van Epps, Kevin Metcalf on 2025-07-20
Richmond Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2025-07-16
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Hunter Phillips on 2024-04-14
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-09-13
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2023-08-08
Wake Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2023-07-28
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Bo Sullivan, and Steve Hall on 2022-07-25
Moore Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Jeff Niznik on 2021-10-08
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Bo Sullivan on 2021-08-10
Moore Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Dean Furbish on 2021-07-25
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: R. Newman on 2020-11-10
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: C. Taunton on 2020-08-14
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2020-08-05
Rowan Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2020-07-23
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Darryl Willis on 2019-08-05
Cabarrus Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Gary Maness on 2019-07-17
Guilford Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Lori Owenby on 2015-09-05
Catawba Co.
Comment:
Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Stephen Hall on 2015-08-25
Warren Co.
Comment: 		Hyles lineata
Recorded by: Paul Scharf on 2015-07-27
Warren Co.
Comment: