SPHINGIDAE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Manduca  quinquemaculatus

(Haworth, 1803)

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Common Name(s): Tomato Hornworm,
Five-Spotted Hawkmoth


Ecology and Life History: This moth is active throughout the warm months in the Northeast, Midwest, and West, and during the monsoon season in the Southwest. In the Southeast, this moth can be on the wing year-round in warm areas. This moth is quite attracted to light, and both sexes will come to it. Bait is an ineffective method of attracting this species. Additionally, searching flowers at dusk may net you nectaring adults. This moth is not sexually dimorphic, both males and females have the same patterning. Males tend to have thinner more triangular abdomens that end in a point. Females have rounder, more conical abdomens with less of a noticeable tip. Eggs are laid on the leaves and stems of hostplant. In captivity, eggs will also be deposited on nearby surfaces. The first instar larvae will chew small holes in the leaves of hostplant before settling down to molt. The remainder of the life cycle is spent on the plant consuming leaves. Larvae can hide anywhere on the plant, but are most reliably found on the undersides of leaves.

Habitat and Searching for Larvae: This is a species of Solanaceous plants. Much like its cousin Manduca sexta, this species can be a pest of gardens. Datura and Solanum seem to be favorites. As Solanaceous plants never get very tall, this species is seldom out of reach. They can be found virtually anywhere on the plant, including on leaves draped on the ground. This species can be found in deserts, gardens, yards, fields, and anywhere it’s hostplants grow in quantity. It has been declining in the Northeast due to introduced parasitoids and management for Manduca sexta. Larvae can be found from May through October throughout most of its range. The chevron markings on the sides of these larvae glow brilliantly in UV light making the larvae easy to locate.

Rearing Notes: Eggs can be obtained by placing females into a flight cage with hostplant and a nectar source. Sometimes adults will lay in paper bags, but this is unreliable. Larvae are happy when kept on Solanaceous plants. Datura and the wild Solanum species have been shown to be most effective. They will consume Tomato. This species is quite susceptible to high humidity. Larvae will perish rapidly if kept in high humidity for too long. Larvae can be kept together in mesh rearing cages, with little problem. Younger larvae may cannibalize small larvae. Sleeving is a great method for rearing this species. Due to the high volume of plant matter consumed by larvae, it is advised to not place too many larvae in one cage. Pupation is easy to achieve using the paper towel method, outlined in the general information section of this website. Soil is an equally successful method.

Host plants:
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Picture
(C) Bernie Knaupp
Picture
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Picture
Adult description:
​
This is a fairly large moth (52-57mm Forewings (1)). Superficially, it resembles Manduca sexta. The first difference to note, is that this moth tends to be gray, rather than brown. Where the white band is on the outer forewing margin of M. sexta, this species has a straight, gray-white band paralleled by a black lines. The hindwings are also helpful to separate the two species. In this species, there are distinct black zigzag lines through the white areas on the hindwing.


Larval description:
L5: This is a fairly standard “hornworm”. Often green, but can be black or a pinkish color as well, the distinctive feature is the 8 V shaped markings along the spiracles on the abdominal segments. The horn is black in color. It can be confused with the similar looking Manduca sexta, which has a red horn, and only diagonal lines, not V shaped
The gallery to the left contains photos of Manduca quinquemaculatus adults. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.

The gallery to the right contains photos of Manduca quinquemaculatus larval and pupal stages. If you have a photo that you would like to submit to us, please contact us.
(C) Bernie Knaupp
(C) Ray Simpson
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Ken Childs
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 (C) Eric Eaton
L5 (C) Eric Eaton
L5 - (C) Bob Barber
(C) Eric Eaton
(C) Joseph O'Connor
(C) Joseph O'Connor
L5 (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L3 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L4 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L5 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
L3 - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Pupa - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Pupa - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly
Pupa - (C) Teá Kesting-Handly

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Macroglossinae

Aellopos clavipes
Aellopos fadus
Aellopos tantalus
Aellopos titan
Amphion floridensis
Cautethia grotei
Callionima falcifera
Callionima parce
Darapsa choerilus
Darapsa myron
Darapsa versicolor
Deidemia inscriptum
Enyo lugubris
Enyo ocypete
Erinnyis alope
Erinnyis crameri
Erinnyis ello
Erinnyis guttularis
Erinnyis lassauxii
Erinnyis oenotrus
Erinnyis obscura
Eumorpha achemon
Eumorpha fasciatus
Eumorpha intermedia
Eumorpha labruscae
Eumorpha pandorus
Eumorpha satellitia
Eumorpha vitis
Eumorpha typhon
Eupyrrhoglossum sagra​
Hemaris diffinis
Hemaris gracilis
Hemaris thysbe
Hyles euphorbiae
Hyles gallii
Hyles lineata
Madoryx pseudothyreus
Pachylioides resumens
Pachylia ficus
Perigonia lusca
Phryxus caicus
Proserpinus flavofasciata
Proserpinus gaurae
Proserpinus lucidus
Pseudosphinx tetrio
Sphecodina abbottii
Xylophanes falco
Xylophanes pluto
Xylophanes libya
Xylophanes porcus
Xylophanes tersa

Smerinthinae

Protambulyx strigilis
Amorpha juglandis
Pachysphinx modesta
Pachysphinx occidentalis
Paonias astylus
Paonias excaecata
Paonias myops
Smerinthus cerisyi
Smerinthus jamaicensis

Sphinginae

Agrius cingulata
Ceratomia amyntor
Ceratomia catalpae
Ceratomia hageni
Ceratomia undulosa
Cocytius antaeus
Cocytius duponchel
Dolba hyloeus
Isoparce cupressi
Lapara bombycoides
Lapara coniferarum
Lintneria istar
Lintneria separatus
Lintneria eremitus
Manduca jasminearum
Manduca occulta
Manduca brontes cubensis
Manduca florestan
Manduca muscosa
Manduca quinquemaculatus
Manduca rustica
Manduca sexta
Neococytius cluentius
Paratrea plebeja
Sphinx canadensis
Sphinx chersis
Sphinx dollii
Sphinx drupiferarum
Sphinx frankii
Sphinx gordius
Sphinx kalmiae
Sphinx leucophaeata
Sphinx luscitiosa
Sphinx pinastri
Sphinx poecila 
Copyright © 2020
  • Home
  • Sphingidae Index
    • Macroglossinae >
      • Aellopos >
        • Aellopos clavipes
        • Aellopos fadus
        • Aellopos tantalus
        • Aellopos titan
      • Amphion >
        • Amphion floridensis
      • Callionima >
        • Callionima falcifera
        • Callionima parce
      • Cautethia >
        • Cautethia grotei
      • Darapsa >
        • Darapsa versicolor
        • Darapsa myron
        • Darapsa choerilus
      • Deidamia >
        • Deidamia inscriptum
      • Enyo >
        • Enyo lugubris
        • Enyo ocypete
      • Erinnyis >
        • Erinnyis alope
        • Erinnyis crameri
        • Erinnyis ello
        • Erinnyis guttularis
        • Erinnyis lassauxii
        • Erinnyis oenotrus
        • Erinnyis obscura
      • Eumorpha >
        • Eumorpha pandorus
        • Eumorpha achemon
        • Eumorpha fasciatus
        • Eumorpha satellitia
        • Eumorpha labruscae
        • Eumorpha intermedia
        • Eumorpha vitis
        • Eumorpha typhon
      • Eupyrrhoglossum >
        • Eupyrrhoglossum sagra
      • Hemaris >
        • Hemaris thysbe
        • Hemaris gracilis
        • Hemaris diffinis
      • Hyles >
        • Hyles gallii
        • Hyles euphorbiae
        • Hyles lineata
      • Madoryx >
        • Madoryx pseudothyreus
      • Pachylioides >
        • Pachylioides resumens
      • Pachylia >
        • Pachylia ficus
      • Phryxus >
        • Phryxus caicus
      • Perigonia >
        • Perigonia lusca
      • Proserpinus >
        • Proserpinus flavofasciata
        • Proserpinus gaurae
        • Proserpinus lucidus
        • Proserpinus terlooii
      • Pseudosphinx >
        • Pseudosphinx tetrio
      • Sphecodina >
        • Sphecodina abbottii
      • Xylophanes >
        • Xylophanes falco
        • Xylophanes libya
        • Xylophanes pluto
        • Xylophanes porcus
        • Xylophanes tersa
    • Smerinthinae >
      • Amorpha >
        • Amorpha juglandis
      • Pachysphinx >
        • Pachysphinx modesta
        • Pachysphinx occidentalis
      • Paonias >
        • Paonias excaecata
        • Paonias myops
        • Paonias astylus
      • Protambulyx >
        • Protambulyx strigilis
      • Smerinthus >
        • Smerinthus jamaicensis
        • Smerinthus cerisyi
    • Sphinginae >
      • Agrius >
        • Agrius cingulata
      • Ceratomia >
        • Ceratomia amyntor
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        • Ceratomia undulosa
        • Ceratomia catalpae
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        • Cocytius duponchel
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      • Isoparce >
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      • Lapara >
        • Lapara coniferarum
        • Lapara bombycoides
      • Lintneria >
        • Lintneria eremitus
        • Lintneria istar
        • Lintneria separatus
      • Manduca >
        • Manduca brontes cubensis
        • Manduca jasminearum
        • Manduca muscosa
        • Manduca occulta
        • Manduca florestan
        • Manduca quinquemaculatus
        • Manduca rustica
        • Manduca sexta
      • Neococytius >
        • Neococytius cluentius
      • Paratrea >
        • Paratrea plebeja
      • Sphinx >
        • Sphinx canadensis
        • Sphinx chersis
        • Sphinx dollii
        • Sphinx drupiferarum
        • Sphinx franckii
        • Sphinx gordius
        • Sphinx kalmiae
        • Sphinx leucophaeata
        • Sphinx luscitiosa
        • Sphinx poecila
        • Sphinx pinastri
  • Final Instar Larva Key
  • Hostplant Index
  • Parasitoids and Predators
  • Range
  • General Information
  • Sources and Acknowledgements
  • Other Resources
    • Sphingidae Publication Library
  • Store