Manduca sexta sexta
man-DOO-kuhM SEX-tuh
Butler, 1877
The Carolina Sphinx

Manduca sexta fifth istar larvae, removed from poblano chili pepper bushes,
Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona,
October 19, 2011, courtesy of Cynthia Kraft

Poblano shilil pepper bushes (right) stripped of foliage by Manduca sexta larvae,
Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, October 19, 2011, courtesy of Cynthia Kraft

The species name, Manduca, means glutton, and larvae can do much damage to a garden in a short period of time. My grandfather used to grow tomato plants in New Jersey, and the plants would often be "attacked" by Manduca sexta larvae. It requires a careful search with a good eye, to find these larvae while they are still small, before they have done so much damage.

This site has been created by Bill Oehlke at oehlkew@islandtelecom.com
Comments, suggestions and/or additional information are welcomed by Bill.

TAXONOMY:

Family: Sphingidae, Latreille, 1802
Subfamily: Sphinginae, Latreille, [1802]
Tribe: Sphingini, Latreille, 1802
Genus: Manduca Hubner, 1807 ...........
Species: sexta sexta Butler, 1877

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