TAXONOMY:
(View Orders)
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
   Class:Insecta
    Order: Lepidoptera
     Family: Sphingidae
      Genus: Manduca
       Species: sexta

OTHER NAME(S):
Tobacco Fly, Carolina Sphinx Moth, Six-Spotted Sphinx Moth

CHARACTERISTICS: The name of this moth likely comes from its appearance as a caterpillar. The green body has black and white diagonal stripes running along its back with an eyespot at the end of each stripe. At the tip of the caterpillar is a reddish-brown horn-like projection. Caterpillars eat tobacco, potato and tomato plants.

Adults are called 'tobacco flies' though they are not flies.

ADULT SIZE (Length, not including legs):
90mm to 115mm (3.54in to 4.53in) (Compare Size)

IDENTIFYING COLORS: black; gray; brown; white

Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas

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Courtesy of Lee B. from Long Grove, CA

Comments/Suggestions: InsectIdentification at gmail dot com