Rustic sphinx
Manduca rustica (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Sphingidae
Subfamily: Sphinginae
Identification: Abdomen has 3 pairs of yellow spots. Forewing is yellowish brown to deep chocolate brown with a dusting of white scales and zigzagged black and white lines.
Wing Span: 3 7/16 - 5 15/16 inches (8.7 - 15 cm).
Life History: Adults begin feeding late at night, around 10 P.M.
Flight: . Several broods from May-October in Louisiana, two broods from July-November in the rest of the range.
Caterpillar Hosts: Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) and jasmine (Jasminum species) in the olive family (Oleaceae), bushy matgrass (Lippia alba) in the vervain family (Verbenaceae), knockaway (Ehretia anacua) in the borage family (Boraginaceae), and Bignonia species in the Bignoniaceae.
Adult Food: Nectar from deep-throated flowers including moonflower (Calonyction aculeatum) and petunia (Petunia species).
Habitat: Warm temperate, subtropical, and tropical forests and second growth.
Range: Virginia to south Florida, west to Arkansas, Texas, southern New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California. South through Central America to Uruguay. Strays to Maine, Massachusetts, and New York.
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: None reported.
BAMONA Shop
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 523 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 05, 2024
Submitted by: johnreeves777
Region: Polk County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 08, 2024
Observation date: Aug 22, 2024
Submitted by: Caesar7
Region: Sussex County, Delaware, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 22, 2024
Observation date: Aug 08, 2024
Submitted by: royjbeckemeyer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 12, 2024
Observation date: Aug 01, 2024
Submitted by: Michelleb2462
Region: Douglas County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 06, 2024
Observation date: Jul 12, 2024
Submitted by: MistyAnn125
Region: York County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 12, 2024
Observation date: Jul 10, 2024
Submitted by: Soma_Reyes
Region: Swain County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 11, 2024
Observation date: Jul 10, 2024
Submitted by: Beth Polvino
Region: Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 10, 2024
Observation date: Jun 25, 2024
Submitted by: flyinganvil
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 06, 2024
Observation date: Aug 03, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Feb 24, 2024
Observation date: May 01, 2022
Submitted by: David Hilmy
Region: Stann Creek District, Belize
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 14, 2023
Observation date: Oct 25, 2023
Submitted by: Laura -Sepanski
Region: Texas, McLennan County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 01, 2023
Observation date: Oct 13, 2023
Submitted by: Egaspar
Region: El Paso County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Oct 23, 2023
Observation date: Sep 11, 2023
Submitted by: Amy Birchfield
Region: Texas, Smith County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 14, 2023
Observation date: Sep 27, 2018
Submitted by: Bamaturtle
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 08, 2023
Observation date: Aug 27, 2023
Submitted by: ElizabethHill
Region: Kent County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 29, 2023
Observation date: Aug 18, 2023
Submitted by: Spreuninger95
Region: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Aug 28, 2023
Observation date: Oct 08, 2021
Submitted by: danielfoxnm
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 28, 2023
Observation date: Aug 26, 2017
Submitted by: Dean Urbanski
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: Gordon Berman
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 24, 2023
Observation date: Sep 24, 2021
Submitted by: Jkh5321
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jun 02, 2022
Submitted by: Ranger Karen
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: May 25, 2015
Submitted by: Gregg Rankin
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Sep 07, 2020
Submitted by: RoxannWigen
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
Observation date: Jun 13, 2022
Submitted by: Aelkins
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Aug 21, 2023
- 1 of 22
- next ›