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Tobacco Hornworm and moth

Manduca sexta

Photo by NicoleLook
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Found on my tomato plant. Seven diagonal lines and red horn.

Notes:

Included additional clarifying pictures on horn coloration. (Today: Sept 7: the worm is now a moth that visits my office early in the morning. It is HUGE. Approximately 2 -2.5 inches long with a wingspan easily double that and a fat body. Sorry for the poor images, only had my phone with me) Seems he has been injured.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (11)
annorion
Nice update! Just another little tidbit...Check out the spots on the side. There are 6. The tomato hornworm moth would only have 5.
NicoleLook
Thanks Alice. I just posted a new one. Looks like the little guy was injured today :( I will email you.
alicelongmartin
Nicole, I took your picture off and lightened it. I will send you a copy if you want, if you send me an e-mail address. My address is [email protected]
NicoleLook
Added a couple of new pictures as the worm is now a moth!
NicoleLook
This is a great place to learn. I use the internet too, but to be honest with this one I just thought I knew what it was. Live and learn!
annorion
Glad I could share! This one was tricky for me to learn as well. I depend a lot on the internet to identify my spottings and a lot of websites would discuss the tomato hornworm but show a picture of the tobacco hornworm.
NicoleLook
Annorion: THANK YOU! That was a good lesson ;) You are indeed correct, mine is a Tabacco Hornworm, red horn and 7 diagonal lines (not the 8 V's). Thanks for the education! Alice: Since my tomato plants have not really been very productive this year, can I be forgiven for letting this guy live through his whole cycle? My tomato growing neighbors might never forgive me...
annorion
We just had a good discussion on this spotting (http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7102374) which is a tobacco hornworm and looks just like your spotting. Here is another link http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/field/hornworm.htm I found that shows pics of both. KristenGilpin has also suggested an easy tell by the color of horn red for tobacco and black for tomato.
alicelongmartin
A beauty. I would like to see him hatch, but not eat my tomato plants!

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PublishedAugust 24, 2011

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