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Carolina sphinx
Manduca sexta (Linnaeus, 1763)
Attributes of Manduca sextaFamily: Sphinx Moths, Hawkmoths (Sphingidae) Subfamily: Sphinginae (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. 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. Wing span: 3 3/4 - 4 3/4 inches (9.5 - 12 cm). 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. NatureServe Global Status: 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. | Documented Records for Manduca sexta
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