Moth Photographers Group – Manduca rustica

Digital Guide to Moth Identification

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Sphingidae

890092 – 7778 Manduca rustica (Fabricius, 1775)

Rustic Sphinx

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Distribution:	Manduca rustica is a southern species, resident from Virginia to south Florida, and west through Arkansas and Texas to New Mexico, southern Arizona and southern California. It strays northward to Maine, New York and Quebec.
Seasonality and Size:	Adults fly from May-Nov. in Florida and South Carolina, June-Nov. in Mississippi and July-Oct. in Arkansas. Glaser records them as a southern migrant only from the Coastal Plain of Maryland between 26 June and 26 September. Wingspan 87 - 150 mm.
Larva and Host Plants:	The larva is a green "hornworm". There are numerous white nodules on the dorsal surface and seven pairs of oblique blue-grey lateral stripes. The host plants are bignonia, jasmine, fringe-tree and members of the Verbenaceae and Boraginaceae families.
Description/ Field Marks:	three pairs of yellow spots on the abdomen. forewing yellowish-brown to deep chocolate brown. zigzag black and white lines at the base, in the am. and lower median areas, and after the pm. line.
Similar Species:	The Pawpaw Sphinx, Dolba hyloeus, is quite similar but much smaller, with a wingspan of 50 - 68 mm. Pinned specimens of related species. (Hint: select View by Region on the related species page.)
Synonymy:	galapagensis (Holland, 1889) (Protoparce) harterti (Rothschild, 1894) (Phlegethontius) nigrita (Rothschild & Jordan, 1903) (Protoparce) postscripta (Clark, 1926) (Protoparce) rustica (Fabricius, 1775) (Sphinx) - MONA 1983: 7778 auriflua (Gehlen, 1930) (Protoparce) (synonym of ssp. rustica) chionanthi (Smith, 1797) (Sphinx) (synonym of ssp. rustica)

References

Barcode of Life (BOLD) - Caution: DNA barcode provides evidence of relatedness, not proof of identification, and some BOLD specimens shown may not be sequenced.
Covell Field Guide p.32; Pl. 3(8, male).
Hall et al., 2021. The Moths of North Carolina - website (identification, habitats and life history)
Hodges, R. W., 1971. Moths of America North of Mexico, Fascicle 21:p. 33; pl. 1.5. order or free PDF
Powell, J. A. & P. A. Opler, 2009. Moths of Western North America, Pl. 40.9m; p. 244. Book Review and ordering
Species Page at Bill Oehlke's moth website - Manduca rustica
Species Page at BugGuide.Net
Species Page at Mass Moths
Species page at Moths of North Dakota.
Tuttle, J. P., 2007. Hawk Moths of North America: p. 51; pl. 8.7.
Wagner, D. L., (2005). Caterpillars of Eastern North America, p. 249.

120mm – © Jim Vargo

Moth Photographers Group at the Mississippi Entomological Museum at the Mississippi State University

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