Manduca sexta — Carolina Sphinx

(Linnaeus, 1763)

Hodges# 7775

Etymology

Manduca: Latin word meaning “chew” or “jaw.”

Sexta: Latin word meaning “six” refers to the six pair of orange dots, which are typical on the abdomen of adults.

Pronunciation

man-DOO-kuh SEX-tuh

Other Common Names

Tobacco Hornworm

Documented Occurrences

This map shows the confirmed sightings of the Carolina Sphinx in Indiana. All sightings were confirmed through photographic documentation by individuals who contributed to the Great American IN Nature Lepidoptera Project (GAIN LP).

GAIN LP Sightings

Date	County	Observer	Notes	Image1	Image2
2018-07-06	Montgomery	Huth, Tracy	Caterpillar
2018-07-01	Marion	Stonebraker, Dustin	Adult
2018-06-27	Boone	Horton, Jim	Caterpillar
2018-06-16	Jefferson	Clark, Nicole	Adult
2018-06-16	Grant	Vincent, Debby	A
2017-09-16	Hamilton	Dickey, Laura	Adult
2017-09-03	Marion	Frischkorn, Margaret	Adult
2017-08-31	St. Joseph	Blassage, Mark	Pupa
2017-08-21	Hamilton	Bruhn, Melissa	Caterpillar
2017-08-14	Brown	Bolam, Sidney	Adult

Observation Details	Images
Date: 2018-07-06 County: Montgomery Observer: Huth, Tracy Notes: Caterpillar
Date: 2018-07-01 County: Marion Observer: Stonebraker, Dustin Notes: Adult
Date: 2018-06-27 County: Boone Observer: Horton, Jim Notes: Caterpillar
Date: 2018-06-16 County: Jefferson Observer: Clark, Nicole Notes: Adult
Date: 2018-06-16 County: Grant Observer: Vincent, Debby Notes: A
Date: 2017-09-16 County: Hamilton Observer: Dickey, Laura Notes: Adult
Date: 2017-09-03 County: Marion Observer: Frischkorn, Margaret Notes: Adult
Date: 2017-08-31 County: St. Joseph Observer: Blassage, Mark Notes: Pupa
Date: 2017-08-21 County: Hamilton Observer: Bruhn, Melissa Notes: Caterpillar
Date: 2017-08-14 County: Brown Observer: Bolam, Sidney Notes: Adult

Manduca sexta Sightings by Month

Notes

The Carolina Sphinx is commonly called the Tobacco Hornworm but is much more commonly found on tomatoes then the closely related Five-spotted Hawkmoth (commonly called the Tomato Hornworm). These caterpillars are common hosts for parasitic wasps that lay their eggs inside the caterpillar and emerge after the complete their metamorphosis, thus killing the caterpillar.

Conservation Status

• Global status: G5 (secure)
• National status: N5 (secure)
• Indiana status: NR (not ranked)

Floral Associates

Carolina Sphinx caterpillars hosts on a variety of low-growing plants, many of which are common in gardens and agricultural production, especially species in the Solanaceae Family which includes garden tomatoes. This preference makes them somewhat of a pest to farmers and gardeners.

Adult use their long proboscis to feed on nectar from various flowers.

Known Larval Food Sources in Indiana for the Manduca sexta
Family	Taxonomic Name	Common Name
Order: Asterales
Asteraceae	Lactuca spp.	Lettuce
Order: Brassicales
Brassicaceae	Brassica spp.	mustards
Order: Solanales
Solanaceae	Datura spp.	daturas (jimsonweeds)
	Hyoscyamus niger	black henbane
	Lycium spp.	wolfberry and desert-thorn
	Nicandra physalodes	apple of Peru
	Nicotiana spp.	tobacco
	Petunia spp.	petunias
	Physalis spp.	groundcherries
	Solanum spp.	nightshades
Order: Solinales
	Capsicum spp.	peppers
Order: Zingiberales
Cannaceae	Canna spp.	cannas