News — getting hornworms in the mail
How to Keep Hornworms after getting them in the Mail
Posted by Critter Depot on
What are Hornworms? The tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) is an economically important insect pest of many solanaceous (nightshade) crops, such as tobacco, tomato, peppers, and potato. As a contrast to its destructive nature as a caterpillar, adult moths are beneficial pollinators. This insect can be distinguished by its posterior red horn and abdominal markings that look like cigarettes. Like Bombyx mori and Drosophila melanogaster, the tobacco hornworm is also used as a model insect in many scientific studies. Life Expectancy This species is holometabolous, meaning that they go through a complete metamorphosis—egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The average...