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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 217 - 240 of 687 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 02, 2012
Submitted by: gladyslewis
Region: Loudoun County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 28, 2012
Observation date: Aug 07, 2012
Submitted by: Jvanosch
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 13, 2012
Observation date: Jul 06, 2012
Submitted by: Josiah Gilbert
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: kellyrichers
Verified date: Jul 31, 2012
Observation date: Aug 07, 2011
Submitted by: cnorborg
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Jul 02, 2012
Observation date: Aug 08, 2011
Submitted by: tthompson
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Jul 02, 2012
Observation date: Jun 09, 2012
Submitted by: quihikat
Region: Texas, Medina County, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Jul 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 16, 2012
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 17, 2012
Observation date: Aug 06, 2011
Submitted by: overworkedjanet
Region: Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: H.D. McGuinness
Verified date: Jun 16, 2012
Observation date: May 20, 2012
Submitted by: shutterjack
Region: Placer County, California, United States
Verified by: kellyrichers
Verified date: Jun 04, 2012
Observation date: Jan 21, 2012
Submitted by: Macabreangel
Region: Coweta County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Mar 26, 2012
Observation date: Sep 26, 2011
Submitted by: lanastewart
Region: Laramie County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 07, 2012
Observation date: Sep 14, 2011
Submitted by: Drschaible
Region: Laramie County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 04, 2012
Observation date: Jun 19, 2011
Submitted by: d.mrfixit
Region: Rush County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 03, 2012
Observation date: Sep 17, 2011
Submitted by: Tom Raub
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Nov 02, 2011
Observation date: Oct 18, 2011
Submitted by: dbjprof
Region: Dallas County, Texas, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Oct 21, 2011
Observation date: Sep 22, 2011
Submitted by: MandaG
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 12, 2011
Observation date: Sep 18, 2011
Submitted by: blizf3
Region: Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 26, 2011
Observation date: Sep 12, 2011
Submitted by: emoulton
Region: Minnehaha County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 15, 2011
Observation date: Sep 13, 2011
Submitted by: karen.alexander1974
Region: Grant County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 14, 2011
Observation date: Sep 05, 2011
Submitted by: netclimbers
Region: Kenosha County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 07, 2011
Observation date: Aug 01, 2011
Submitted by: sandydeer
Region: Harford County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 18, 2011
Observation date: Aug 05, 2011
Submitted by: jeffro
Region: Harford County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 17, 2011
Observation date: Jun 20, 2011
Submitted by: kaylamcgraw22
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: kellyrichers
Verified date: Aug 16, 2011
Observation date: Jun 26, 2011
Submitted by: tom nolan
Region: Burlington County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: H.D. McGuinness
Verified date: Jul 20, 2011
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