They can have a 13 cm (5 inch) wingspan and have a brown and white abdomen with five yellow spots lining each side. Tomato hornworm moths have brown and gray wings on the forewings, and smaller hindwings with a zigzag pattern.
The adults of both species are relatively large moths and are often mistaken for hummingbirds as they hover over flowers. Tobacco hornworms are similar in appearance with two key differences: the horn has red sides, and the white lines on the body appear as diagonal dashes. Most have bodies that are varying shades of green, and while darker forms do exist, they are less common. They have white stripes along the sides of their body that form a “V” pattern. The tomato hornworm is characterized by a dark green horn with black sides. Tomatoes are very susceptible to feeding injury, but hornworms can also infest peppers and potatoes. The caterpillars feed on leaves and fruit and can rapidly defoliate plants. Tobacco hornworms are generally more common, but both species can occur in the same location. There are over 30 species of hornworms in Colorado, but only two species are considered pests of vegetable gardens in the state: the tomato hornworm ( Manduca quinquemaculata) and tobacco hornworm ( Manduca sexta).
Many hornworms have a spine or horn at the rear, while some species have markings that resemble eye spots instead of a horn. Hornworms are among the largest caterpillars found in Colorado, with some species reaching lengths of up to 7.5 cm (3 inches).
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