CAROLINA SPHINX / TOBACCO HORNWORM

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LEPIDOPTERA: Tobacco Hornworm/Carolina Sphinx

This page shows the life cycle of the Manduca sexta Sphinx moth, from egg to caterpillar to moth. Also see this special page on the tachinid fly, Winthemia manducae - a parasite of hornworms.

This page shows the life cycle of the Manduca sexta Sphinx moth, from egg to caterpillar to moth. Also see this special page on the tachinid fly, Winthemia manducae - a parasite of hornworms.

COMMON NAME:	Datura, Jimson Weed
Class:	Magnoliopsida (of Phylum Magnoliophyta)
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Solanaceae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Datura
Species:	.
Date:	8/10/2003
Location:	Ramsey Canyon, Cochise Co., AZ

Jimson Weed (Datura), a common plant in S. Arizona in the warmer months, is a favored
host plant for the caterpillar as its toxins can be used as a defense from parasites,
a tradeoff of nutrition vs. defense. But the caterpillar can eat large quantities
fast and the plant grows big leaves fast.

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco hornworm egg with wasp or fly on Datura leaf
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	8/10/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Comment:

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco hornworm hatchling (1st instar). Note long, black tail
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	8/20/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Comment:

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco hornworm (2nd instar)
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	8/24/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Recently molted, old tail and head still visible

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco hornworm (3rd instar)
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	8/28/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Comment: White stripes becoming visible

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco hornworm (4th instar)
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	8/31/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Recently molted, old head capsule visible under new head

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco hornworm (5th instar)
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	9/6/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Comment:

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco hornworm (5th instar), nearing pupation
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	9/21/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Note the pulsing dorsal hearts (dark spots at top of each segment)

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco hornworm (5th instar), dead
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	9/23/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Comment: Pupation unsuccessful.

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco hornworm pupas
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	9/8/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Tails on left, heads on right and wings are forming underneath the right sides

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco Hawkmoth just emerged from pupa shell
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	9/18/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Note the six ("sexta") pairs of orange spots on sides of abdomen

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco Hawkmoth just emerged from pupa shell
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	9/18/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Wings are starting to inflate

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco Hawkmoth just emerged from pupa shell
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	9/18/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Wings are filling out

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco Hawkmoth just emerged from pupa shell
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	9/18/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Wings almost ready

COMMON NAME:	Tobacco Hawkmoth just emerged from pupa shell
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Sub-family:	.
Genus:	Manduca
Species:	Manduca sexta
Date:	9/18/2003
Location:	Sierra Vista, Cochise Co., AZ

Wings in final shape and starting to harden