Bug FAQRustic Sphinx
Manduca rustica · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Also called: Rustic Sphinx Moth
Source: Wikipedia
Rustic Sphinx moths live in many habitats, from rainforests to deserts and even cities. They are native from the southern United States down through Central and South America to Uruguay. The caterpillars eat a wide range of plants, including jasmine, trumpet vines and many others, so they may harm garden plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are found in many settings, from natural forests to deserts and urban areas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on plants such as jasmine, trumpet vines and desert willow. They have been recorded on plants in the Bignoniaceae, Oleaceae, Verbenaceae, Convolvulaceae and Lamiaceae families.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 33 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico, Alabama, North Carolina, Oklahoma.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Does the Rustic Sphinx damage garden plants?
Yes, its larvae eat a variety of garden and ornamental plants, which can cause damage.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
White-lined SphinxHyles lineataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Eurasian Hummingbird HawkmothMacroglossum stellatarum
Snowberry ClearwingHemaris diffinis
Carolina SphinxManduca sextaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Hummingbird ClearwingHemaris thysbeDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elephant HawkmothDeilephila elpenorSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manduca_rustica
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.