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 121 - 144 of 1235 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 16, 2021
Submitted by: dbayou
Region: Hays County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jul 18, 2021
Observation date: Jun 18, 2021
Submitted by: markostoughton
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 18, 2021
Observation date: May 28, 2021
Submitted by: mari.beth
Region: Knox County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 30, 2021
Observation date: Nov 01, 2019
Submitted by: LukaCustoms
Region: Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: May 22, 2021
Observation date: May 15, 2021
Submitted by: sydneyrhandlh
Region: Jefferson County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 17, 2021
Observation date: Jul 14, 2016
Submitted by: DVL
Region: Lee County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 19, 2021
Observation date: Sep 09, 2016
Submitted by: waterkitty621
Region: York County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 18, 2021
Observation date: Mar 11, 2021
Submitted by: Crash56
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 14, 2021
Observation date: Sep 18, 2016
Submitted by: Angel Vaughan
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 21, 2017
Submitted by: dottiemar
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 05, 2021
Observation date: Sep 06, 2017
Submitted by: Masonb
Region: Grand County, Utah, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 05, 2021
Observation date: Aug 13, 2018
Submitted by: Michscar
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 04, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2011
Submitted by: frankycoles
Region: Windham County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 04, 2021
Observation date: Aug 26, 2018
Submitted by: Emeilada
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Mark Wheeler
Verified date: Feb 03, 2021
Observation date: Sep 23, 2010
Submitted by: wade wander
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Dec 28, 2020
Observation date: Jul 06, 2020
Submitted by: dotstuff
Region: Seneca County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: Ohio97
Verified date: Dec 21, 2020
Observation date: Aug 27, 2020
Submitted by: JRINVT
Region: Addison County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: Tom Clark
Verified date: Dec 17, 2020
Observation date: Aug 23, 2018
Submitted by: BabaWawa
Region: Douglas County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 06, 2020
Observation date: Aug 30, 2016
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Cass County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 03, 2020
Observation date: Sep 21, 2020
Submitted by: Dyan F
Region: Maricopa County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: kellyrichers
Verified date: Nov 17, 2020
Observation date: Sep 18, 2017
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Nov 16, 2020
Observation date: Jul 19, 2020
Submitted by: JMJaskula
Region: Newton County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 20, 2020
Observation date: Aug 05, 2020
Submitted by: wade wander
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 13, 2020
Observation date: Aug 28, 2020
Submitted by: sciguy67
Region: Monroe County, Florida, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 03, 2020
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