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
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1248 verified sightings
Observation date: Nov 01, 2025
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Tehama County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 07, 2025
Observation date: Sep 25, 2025
Submitted by: g.rock1977@gmail.com
Region: King George County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 25, 2025
Observation date: Jul 30, 2025
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 23, 2025
Observation date: Sep 18, 2025
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 18, 2025
Observation date: Jul 21, 2025
Submitted by: KABerry
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 14, 2025
Observation date: Sep 27, 2024
Submitted by: MI2345
Region: Fort Bend County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 10, 2025
Observation date: Sep 02, 2025
Submitted by: LittleWoodSatyr
Region: Defiance County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 02, 2025
Observation date: Aug 14, 2025
Submitted by: Mimi's loves
Region: Marion County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 15, 2025
Observation date: Aug 07, 2025
Submitted by: ekharrington23
Region: Albemarle County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 09, 2025
Observation date: Jul 29, 2025
Submitted by: Reneenicole
Region: Saline County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 31, 2025
Observation date: Jun 11, 2025
Submitted by: Dewalker19
Region: New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 19, 2025
Observation date: Jun 05, 2025
Submitted by: PaulaLyons
Region: Lake County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 06, 2025
Observation date: Feb 22, 2025
Submitted by: LukaCustoms
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Feb 25, 2025
Observation date: Sep 15, 2024
Submitted by: aarongunnar
Region: Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 15, 2024
Observation date: Oct 14, 2024
Submitted by: LukaCustoms
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 15, 2024
Observation date: Sep 30, 2024
Submitted by: csongorczezar
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 01, 2024
Observation date: Sep 02, 2024
Submitted by: Dyn Blin
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 29, 2024
Observation date: Aug 08, 2024
Submitted by: houdini73
Region: Brown County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 05, 2024
Observation date: Aug 27, 2024
Submitted by: Jdtrkr
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 27, 2024
Observation date: Jun 27, 2024
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 27, 2024
Observation date: Jul 18, 2024
Submitted by: leasep303
Region: Utah County, Utah, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 22, 2024
Observation date: Jul 04, 2024
Submitted by: Honeykitten
Region: Windham County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
Observation date: Jun 16, 2024
Submitted by: Liansays
Region: Broward County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 17, 2024
Observation date: Jun 23, 2020
Submitted by: Dochartaigh
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 28, 2024
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