Tobacco Hornworm (Carolina Sphinx)
Manduca sexta (Linnaeus, 1763) P-no. 890090
Host plant: Found on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Date found: July–August, 2026
Location found: St. Louis County, MO
Notes: It took me long enough to collect some photos of this common species. This species is so common that most non-naturalists have seen them as they terrify their tomato plants they tend in backyard gardens. I had the pleasure of seeing a few of these this year, thanks to my pop, Bart, who invited me to photograph a couple he found on his tomato plants. He also gave me a few plants to grow in my backyard this year (mostly for the caterpillars). We found a couple, one of which I reared in a flight cage and has now went to ground to pupate. With luck, I’ll be able to see the adult moth next spring.
A Thousand Acres of Silphiums 