Tobacco hornworm

Tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) is a large caterpillar species found in North America. It is known for its distinctive horn-like tail and its voracious appetite for tobacco and other members of the Solanaceae family.

Description

The tobacco hornworm is a bright green caterpillar with seven diagonal white lines on its sides. It has a red horn at the rear end, which gives it its name. The adult form of the tobacco hornworm is the Carolina sphinx moth.

Life Cycle

The life cycle of the tobacco hornworm begins when the adult moth lays spherical, green eggs on the leaves of the host plant. After hatching, the larvae feed on the leaves for several weeks, growing rapidly in size. They then pupate in the soil, emerging as adult moths after two to four weeks.

Diet

Tobacco hornworms are primarily known for their consumption of tobacco plants, but they also feed on other members of the Solanaceae family, including tomato plants and potato plants. Despite their preference for these crops, they are not considered a major agricultural pest.

Predators

The tobacco hornworm has several natural predators, including various species of birds, lizards, and insects. One notable predator is the Braconid wasp, which lays its eggs inside the caterpillar. The wasp larvae then feed on the hornworm from the inside, eventually killing it.

In Research

Due to its large size and rapid growth, the tobacco hornworm is often used in scientific research. It is a model organism in the fields of entomology, neurobiology, and physiology.

See Also

• Tomato hornworm
• Manduca quinquemaculata
• Solanaceae