DISTRIBUTION:

Lintneria xantus (Wing span: 90mm), flies in Baja California and northwestern Mexico: San José del Cabo, Baja California, Mexico, is a type locality.

"Most similar to Lintneria istar, the principal differences being that it is smaller (fwl. 90 mm. as against approx. 125 mm.); is darker and less variegated; and that the median area of forewing upperside has a strong pinkish tinge, rather than whitish grey. Other differences include: abdomen upperside with black mesial line more prominent due to a paler background; forewing upperside with 4 distinct white spots on costal margin, only faintly indicated in Lintneria istar; apex more whitish with the 3 dark apical lines better defined; discal area darker brown, contrasting more strongly with the rest of the wing; forewing underside grey-black, rather than light brownish grey, with markings indistinct.

"hindwing upperside with the black marginal band proportionally broader, and black median band proportionally narrower; white median band not penetrated by black tooth-like marks;
"hindwing underside much darker; the twin bands from costal to hind margin narrower, closer together and with fewer denticular intrusions into the space between them; marginal blackish grey band broader." CATE

In his The Hawk Moths of North America, 2007, James P. Tuttle has assigned all the Sphinx genus species from Mexico south throughout South American to Lintneria, Butler, 1876, based on consistent differences in wing characters and significant larval differences.

FLIGHT TIMES:

Lintneria xantus adults fly

ECLOSION:

Pupae probably wiggle to surface from subterranean chambers just prior to eclosion.

SCENTING AND MATING:

Females call in the males with a pheromone released from a gland at the tip of the abdomen. Adults probably nectar at a variety of flowers.

EGGS, LARVAE, PUPAE:

Larvae probably feed on plants in the Lamiaceae family: Salvia; the Hydrophyllaciaea: Wigandia; Verbenaceae: and/or Lantana.

Please visit my special request for images of Lintneria species larvae at Lintneria larvae, and help if you can.

It is anticipated that the Lintneria larvae will most often be encountered on Lamiaceae: Salvia (Sage), Mentha (Mints), Monarda (Beebalm) and Hyptis (Bushmints); Verbenaceae: Verbena and Lantana camara (shrub verbenas or lantanas).

Although they may be encountered feeding during daylight hours, one is even more likely to discover them feeding in the evening or after dark.

Two of the greatest clues for discovering larvae are stripped foliage and droppings beneath the plant. You might be quite surprised at what will turn up in the evening or after dark in a flashlight assisted search.

It is believed that all "Lintneria larvae will exhibit "a fleshy thoracic dorsal "horn" in the first 4 instars (unique in the Sphingidae of the world to my knowledge) which is replaced by a thoracic dorsal "hump" with a large black patch in the 5th instar." J.A. Tuttle.

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