Manduca quinquemaculata

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Tomato hornworm

Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Genus: Manduca
Species: M. quinquemaculata
Binomial name
Manduca quinquemaculata
Haworth, 1803

The Five-Spotted Hawkmoth (Manduca quinquemaculata) is a brown and gray hawk moth of the Sphingidae family. The caterpillar is often referred to as the tomato hornworm and can be a major pest in gardens. Tomato hornworms are closely related to (and sometimes confused with) the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta). This confusion arises because caterpillars of both species feed on the foliage of various plants from the family Solanaceae, so either species can be found on tobacco or tomato leaves, and the plant on which the caterpillar is found does not indicate its species. The larva of these species can be distinguished by their lateral markings; tomato hornworms have eight V-shaped markings while tobacco hornworms have seven diagonal lines [1]. Furthermore, the caterpillars can be distinguished from the larval stage onwards by the color of the horns on their back ends: M. quinquemaculata caterpillars have black horns, while Manduca sexta caterpillars have red horns. In addition, a small percentage of M. quinquemaculata caterpillars are black, whereas a black M. sexta caterpillar has not been observed in nature. The moths can be distinguished by the number of spots on their abdomen, with M. quinquemaculata having five.[1]


Contents

[edit] Range

M. quinquemaculata is found throughout the United States, northwestern Mexico, and even southern Canada, but is less frequently found throughout the Great Plains and the southeast.

[edit] Food plants

Tomato hornworms are known to eat various plants from the family Solanaceae, commonly attacking tomato, eggplant, pepper, tobacco and potato. Accordingly, tomato hornworms are often found on defoliated tomato plants, the caterpillar clinging to the underside of a branch near the trunk. They are difficult to spot due to their coloration.

[edit] Life cycle

[edit] Egg

Hornworm eggs are spherical to oval in shape, measure about 1.50 mm in diameter, and vary in color from light green to white. Eggs are deposited principally on the lower surface of foliage, but also on the upper surface. Duration of the egg stage is two to eight days, but averages five days.[1]

[edit] Larva

The tomato hornworm is a green caterpillar, with eight, v-shaped markings on its side and has a black horn on its rear just as other hornworms.

Tomato hornworm larva

[edit] Pupa

Fully-grown caterpillars pupate and overwinter in soil burrows.

[edit] Adult

Tomato hornworm adult female

Tomato hornworm adult male

Tomato hornworm diversity

Tomato hornworm detail

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Villanueva, Raul (June 1998). Tobacco Hornworm. Retrieved on 2006-10-21.

[edit] External links

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