Tomato Hornworm (Five-spotted Hawkmoth)

Manduca quinquemaculata — the tomato hornworm (adult known as 'five-spotted hawkmoth') — is one of the most economically important garden pests in North America and one of about 60 species in genus Manduca. The species is widespread across all of North America from southern Canada south through the eastern and central US to Argentina. Larvae are 8-10 cm long when fully grown, bright GREEN with a series of WHITE V-SHAPED DIAGONAL STRIPES along each side of the body (typically 7-8 V-stripes per side), and a prominent BLACK-OR-BLUE DORSAL 'HORN' on the eighth abdominal segment (the source of 'hornworm' common name). The species is essentially identical in appearance to the closely-related tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) — distinguished by two field-ID features: HORN COLOR (tomato hornworm has BLACK-OR-BLUE HORN; tobacco hornworm has RED HORN) and STRIPE PATTERN (tomato hornworm has V-SHAPED stripes; tobacco hornworm has more linear DIAGONAL stripes). Both species are common garden pests, often co-occurring on the same garden tomato plants. Larvae feed exclusively on plants in family SOLANACEAE (the nightshade family) — tomato (the most cited host), pepper, eggplant, potato, tobacco, and ornamental nightshades. Larvae cause major garden damage by defoliating leaves and chewing into developing fruits — a single mature larva can defoliate a small tomato plant in 1-2 days. Adults are large gray-and-brown HAWK MOTHS with 10-13 cm wingspan and the species' diagnostic feature: FIVE PAIRS of bright YELLOW SPOTS along the sides of the abdomen (the source of the species name 'quinquemaculata' — Latin for 'five-spotted'). Adults hover at flowers like other hawk moths and feed on nectar from long-tubed nocturnal flowers (especially datura, evening primrose, and four-o'clock). The species is closely related to Manduca sexta — the tobacco hornworm — which is one of the most important MODEL ORGANISMS in modern insect physiology and entomology research. Manduca sexta is studied extensively for: olfactory neurobiology (the moth's antennal lobes are a model system for insect olfaction), flight muscle physiology, hormonal regulation of metamorphosis, and other biological systems. Tomato hornworm shares essentially all the same biology as the tobacco hornworm and is increasingly used in research as well. The species is harmless to humans (despite the dramatic horn — the horn is a non-venomous decorative structure) but is one of the most-reported backyard garden pests in NA vegetable gardens.