Five-spotted hawkmoth
Manduca quinquemaculata (Haworth, 1803)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Abdomen usually has 5 but sometimes 6 pairs of yellow bands. Forewing is blurry brown and gray. Hindwing is banded with brown and white and has 2 well-separated median zigzag bands. Forewing fringes are grayish, not distinctly spotted with white.
Wing Span: 3 9/16 - 5 5/16 inches (9 - 13.5 cm).
Life History: Adults fly at dusk, and females deposit eggs singly on the upper surface of host plant leaves. The caterpillars are called Tomato Hornworms and each has a black horn at the end of the abdomen. Caterpillars have huge appetites for leaves and fruits and can defoliate plants quickly. Fully-grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in soil burrows.
Flight: . Several broods from February-October in Florida and from April-October in Louisiana, at least two broods from May-October in the rest 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), petunia (Petunia hybrida), bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis), tobacco (Nicotiana), and phlox (Phlox).
Habitat: Tobacco fields, vegetable gardens, and wherever host plants are found.
Range: Mexico north throughout most of the United States and occasionally southern Canada, but it is uncommon in the Southeast and the Great Plains.
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 tomato and other plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae).
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 145 - 168 of 686 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 24, 2014
Submitted by: Dave Rintoul
Region: Riley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 24, 2014
Observation date: Aug 07, 2014
Submitted by: ErictheK
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Josiah Gilbert
Verified date: Aug 07, 2014
Observation date: Jul 20, 2014
Submitted by: Jimulacrum
Region: Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 20, 2014
Observation date: Jun 07, 2014
Submitted by: tjheindel
Region: Inyo County, California, United States
Verified by: Josiah Gilbert
Verified date: Jun 09, 2014
Observation date: Sep 07, 2013
Submitted by: jennifereh
Region: Grundy County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 30, 2014
Observation date: Jul 05, 2013
Submitted by: Daisyboo1077
Region: Eddy County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Apr 30, 2014
Observation date: Sep 28, 2013
Submitted by: Skyrealmsoldier
Region: Salt Lake County, Utah, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Feb 22, 2014
Observation date: Sep 25, 2013
Submitted by: bugabugz
Region: Utah County, Utah, United States
Verified by: Ryan St Laurent
Verified date: Feb 22, 2014
Observation date: Jul 17, 2013
Submitted by: tomatocat
Region: Utah County, Utah, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 22, 2014
Observation date: Aug 26, 2012
Submitted by: mealina
Region: Malheur County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Robert Martin
Verified date: Feb 19, 2014
Observation date: Nov 02, 2013
Submitted by: Iflyk4funn
Region: Dade County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 15, 2014
Observation date: Jul 18, 2013
Submitted by: Axarus
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: kellyrichers
Verified date: Feb 12, 2014
Observation date: Jul 20, 2013
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 10, 2014
Observation date: Sep 02, 2013
Submitted by: Jean Fontaine
Region: Greenville County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Feb 05, 2014
Observation date: Oct 01, 2013
Submitted by: jeffmci9
Region: Texas, Travis County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 23, 2014
Observation date: Aug 15, 2013
Submitted by: michaeloberg
Region: Webster County, Iowa, United States
Verified by: jamesdurbin
Verified date: Jan 20, 2014
Observation date: Jul 27, 2012
Submitted by: michaeloberg
Region: Webster County, Iowa, United States
Verified by: jamesdurbin
Verified date: Jan 20, 2014
Observation date: Aug 31, 2011
Submitted by: ourhouse
Region: Cache County, Utah, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jan 13, 2014
Observation date: Aug 02, 2013
Submitted by: Linda Butler
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Dec 27, 2013
Observation date: Aug 11, 2013
Submitted by: Larn
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Dec 27, 2013
Observation date: Oct 08, 2013
Submitted by: Ken Childs
Region: Chester County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Ken Childs
Verified date: Nov 02, 2013
Observation date: Oct 03, 2013
Submitted by: bonnik
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Oct 11, 2013
Observation date: Oct 05, 2013
Submitted by: jenson210
Region: Dallas County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 05, 2013
Observation date: Oct 01, 2013
Submitted by: AnnieManty
Region: Kane County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 01, 2013
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