Manduca quinquemaculata, commonly known as the five-spotted hawk moth in its adult form and the tomato hornworm as a caterpillar, is one of the most recognizable insects across North American agriculture and home gardens. Belonging to the family Sphingidae (sphingid or hawk moths), this species is notorious for its voracious appetite during its larval stage, capable of defoliating Nightshade family (Solanaceae) plants in a matter of days.

Despite its reputation as a crop pest, M. quinquemaculata is a fascinating organism from an ecological, evolutionary, and anatomical perspective.