Carolina sphinx
Manduca sexta (Linnaeus, 1763)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Abdomen usually has 6 pairs of yellow bands. Forewing has indistinct black, brown, and white markings. Hindwing is banded with black and white and has 2 black zigzag median lines that are very close together with hardly any white showing between them. Wing fringes on forewing are spotted with white.
Wing Span: 3 3/4 - 4 3/4 inches (9.5 - 12 cm).
Life History: Adults fly at dusk, and females lay eggs singly on the upperside of host plant leaves. The caterpillars are known as Tobacco Hornworms, and each has a red-tipped horn at the end of its abdomen. Caterpillars have large appetites for leaves and fruits and can defoliate plants quickly. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in burrows in the soil.
Flight: . Several broods throughout the year in Florida, several broods from April-October in Louisiana, and two broods from May-October in the remainder of the range.
Caterpillar Hosts: Potato, tobacco, tomato, and other plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), moonflower (Calonyction aculeata), and petunia (Petunia hybrida).
Habitat: Tobacco fields, vegetable gardens, and a wide variety of habitats.
Range: Massachusetts west across southern Michigan to Minnesota, central Colorado, and northern California; south to Florida, the Gulf Coast, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Caterpillars are pests on tobacco and tomato, and occasionally potato and pepper crops.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1039 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 08, 2019
Submitted by: v19
Region: Franklin County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 08, 2019
Observation date: Sep 01, 2019
Submitted by: reupurtbones
Region: Metcalfe County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 01, 2019
Observation date: Aug 31, 2019
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 31, 2019
Observation date: Jul 25, 2017
Submitted by: Coolfind
Region: St. Louis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 30, 2019
Observation date: Aug 26, 2019
Submitted by: plawryniuk
Region: Virginia, United States, Washington County
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 29, 2019
Observation date: Aug 27, 2019
Submitted by: Lisa’s
Region: Yavapai County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Aug 28, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: Kurt R. Schwarz
Region: Howard County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 27, 2019
Observation date: Aug 24, 2019
Submitted by: Hmlee
Region: Coweta County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 27, 2019
Observation date: Jul 24, 2019
Submitted by: pmrules21
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 23, 2019
Observation date: Aug 20, 2019
Submitted by: agdsquash
Region: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 21, 2019
Observation date: Aug 15, 2019
Submitted by: Ricekids
Region: Rockingham County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 18, 2019
Observation date: Aug 17, 2019
Submitted by: Paula Card
Region: Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 17, 2019
Observation date: Aug 15, 2019
Submitted by: EBarden7
Region: Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 15, 2019
Observation date: Aug 01, 2019
Submitted by: SteveSykes
Region: Monroe County, New York, United States
Verified by: Sue Gregoire
Verified date: Aug 14, 2019
Observation date: Aug 12, 2019
Submitted by: redbrad
Region: Rock Island County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 13, 2019
Observation date: Aug 05, 2019
Submitted by: Jedweintrob
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 13, 2019
Observation date: Aug 09, 2019
Submitted by: agdsquash
Region: Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 12, 2019
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 11, 2019
Observation date: Aug 09, 2019
Submitted by: klco
Region: Lake County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 10, 2019
Observation date: Aug 07, 2019
Submitted by: RicardoBrocan
Region: Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 08, 2019
Observation date: Aug 03, 2019
Submitted by: mcgaffney
Region: Frederick County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 03, 2019
Observation date: Aug 01, 2019
Submitted by: carriemck
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Ilona L.
Verified date: Aug 01, 2019
Observation date: Jul 27, 2019
Submitted by: ZoeRhea11
Region: Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 31, 2019
Observation date: Jul 26, 2019
Submitted by: Gramps
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 31, 2019
- 1 of 44
- next ›