Moths of North Carolina
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View PDFNoctuidae Members:
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20 NC Records

Lithophane hemina Grote, 1874 - Hemina Pinion

Lithophane hemina
view caption 		Lithophane hemina
view caption 		Lithophane hemina
view caption 		Lithophane hemina
view caption
Taxonomy
Superfamily:
Noctuoidea		 Family:
Noctuidae		Subfamily:
Noctuinae		Tribe:
Xylenini		P3 Number:
932538		 MONA Number:
9893.00		 Other Common Name:
Brown Pinion
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 Resources: 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). The reniform is diffuse, lacking a sharp outline, and there is somewhat diffuse black spot in the fold. The lines are fine and black or dark red-brown and strongly dentate. The subterminal area has a somewhat darker shade. In form lignicosta, the ground is darker but the costa is a contrasting wood brown, as are the outlines of the orbicular and reniform spots; in similar forms of other species, the costa is whitish rather than brown (Forbes). The hindwing is fuscous in both forms.
Structural photos
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.
Lithophane hemina
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 (Betula), Box-elder (Acer negundo), hazel (Corylus), Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra), and witch-hazel (Hamamelis). - View
Wikipedia
See also Habitat Account for General Montane Mesic Forests
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [W-PK]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 SNR [S2S3]
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: 7

Recorded by: Jim Petranka and Becky Elkin on 2025-04-04
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jim Petranka, Mark Basinger and Becky Elkin on 2024-09-21
Buncombe Co.
Comment:
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