Bug FAQCarolina Sphinx
Manduca sexta · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Also called: Tomato Sphinx, Tobacco Hornworm, Carolina Sphinx Moth
Source: Wikipedia
The larvae can grow to about 10 cm long and are found in humid areas where they seek water with their antennae. Adults live about a month, produce two to four generations a year, and feed only on nectar.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The caterpillars can reach up to 100 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
They are pests of tobacco, eating the upper leaves and leaving green or black droppings.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They prefer humid environments and use their antennae to find water to drink.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The whole life cycle lasts about 30 to 50 days. Typically there are two generations per year, but in Florida there can be three or four.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Manduca sexta occurs throughout much of the Americas.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 47 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, California, North Carolina, Arizona, Virginia, Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How large do Carolina sphinx caterpillars get?
They can grow up to about 10 cm (100 mm) long.
Source: Wikipedia
How many generations are there each year?
Usually two generations per year, but in Florida there may be three or four.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
White-lined SphinxHyles lineataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Eurasian Hummingbird HawkmothMacroglossum stellatarum
Snowberry ClearwingHemaris diffinis
Hummingbird ClearwingHemaris thysbeDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elephant HawkmothDeilephila elpenor
Convolvulus HawkmothAgrius convolvuliDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manduca_sexta
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.