Manduca sexta Life Cycle Stages III: Pupa
to Moth
The process of pupation takes approximately seven days.
The larvae (called "prepupae" at this point) begin by
hollowing out a "cell" in the substrate (leaf litter or soil
in the wild); they should be kept in a dark place until
their pupal case is fully formed. The cuticle of the
hornworm gradually becomes darker and harder, and eventually
is replaced by the hard, mahogany-colored pupal case. The
tongue (proboscis) is an obvious feature on the pupal case.
Some musculature is present during the pupal stage; if
picked up or disturbed, the posterior end of the pupa will
wiggle (this can be quite disturbing to students if they are
not expecting it). The pupal stage in Manduca sexta lasts
approximately two weeks.
The adult hawkmoth is a large, nocturnal moth. In flight,
hawkmoths can easily be mistaken for hummingbirds because of
their large wingspan. Hawkmoths are generalist nectar
feeders, and feed through a very long proboscis, which is
curled up in a spiral when not feeding. Approximately 3 or 4
days after hatching, female moths can begin ovipositing eggs
on leaf surfaces. Each female is capable of laying more than
1000 eggs.
For a photo of the pupal and adult stages, see our
main page.
For some cool photos of a moth in flight with its
proboscis extended, check this Wayne's
Word page.
See our Links to Manduca sexta
Images (& Info) page for links to additional photos
and diagrams.
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