Tomato Hornworm

Manduca quinquemaculata, the five-spotted hawkmoth, is a brown and gray hawk moth of the family Sphingidae. The caterpillar, often referred to as the tomato hornworm, can be a major pest in gardens; they get their name from a dark projection on their posterior end and their use of tomatoes as host plants. Tomato hornworms are closely related to the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta and Blackburn's sphinx moth Manduca blackburni. This confusion arises because caterpillars of both species have similar morphologies and feed on the foliage of various plants from the family Solanaceae, so either species can be found on tobacco or tomato leaves. Because of this, the plant on which the caterpillar is found does not indicate its species. Scientific Name: Manduca quinquemaculata Range: North America Size: Caterpillar up to 10 cm; adult wingspan 10–13 cm Status: Pest ID Notes: Bright green caterpillar with 8 white V-shapes on sides and a curved black or red horn at the rear. Adult (five-spotted hawk moth) is gray-brown with yellow abdominal spots. Behavior / Notes: Major pest of tomato, eggplant, pepper. Closely resembles the tobacco hornworm (M. sexta) but has V-shapes instead of straight diagonal stripes.