Moths of North Carolina
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
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View PDFNoctuidae Members:
Lithophane Members:
18 NC Records

Lithophane hemina Grote, 1874 - Hemina Pinion

Taxonomy
Superfamily: Noctuoidea Family: NoctuidaeSubfamily: NoctuinaeTribe: XyleniniP3 Number: 932538.00 MONA Number: 9893.00
Comments: One of 51 species in this genus that occur in North America (Lafontaine and Schmidt, 2010, 2015), 25 of which have been recorded in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Covell (1984); Beadle and Leckie (2012)Online Photographs: MPG, BugGuide, iNaturalist, Google, BAMONA, GBIF, BOLD                                                                                 
Adult Markings: In the typical form, the forewings are fairly evenly colored in a dull grayish brown, shaded with various tints but typically with no obvious contrasts (Forbes, 1954); in form lignicosta, however, the ground is darker but the costa is a contrasting wood brown, as are the outlines of the orbicular and reniform spots. In the typical form, the reniform is diffuse, lacking a sharp outline; there is somewhat diffuse black spot in the fold; and the subterminal area has a somewhat darker shade. The lines are fine and black or dark red-brown and strongly dentate. The hindwing is fuscous.
Adult ID Requirements: Identifiable from good quality photos of unworn specimens.
Immatures and Development: Larvae are similar to those of L. patefacta, petulca, and other members of this species group; consequently, they are best identified by rearing them to adulthood (Wagner et al., 2011)
Larvae ID Requirements: Identifiable only through rearing to adulthood.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
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
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Our records all come from cove forests and high elevation hardwood forests
Larval Host Plants: Larvae are polyphagous on many species of hardwood trees and shrubs (Wagner et al., 2011). Most of the reported species are associated with riparian or mesic hardwood forests, including Birches, Box-elder, Hazel, Red Maple, Northern Red Oak, and Witch Hazel. - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Montane Mesic Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 S3S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands.
Comments:

 Photo Gallery for Lithophane hemina - Hemina Pinion

Photos: 5

Recorded by: tom ward on 2024-03-22
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2024-03-22
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: tom ward on 2024-03-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: tom ward on 2023-03-23
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jim Petranka on 2020-03-19
Madison Co.
Comment: Form lignicosta