Sphingidae larvae are commonly referred to as which of the following?

Sphingidae larvae are commonly referred to as which of the following?

• A. Hornworms
• B. Sphinx moths
• C. Hawk moths
• D. Leafworms

Answer: (A)

Sphingidae larvae have a distinctive tail horn—a curved, horn-like projection on the last abdominal segment. That feature gives rise to the common name hornworms for many species, such as the tobacco hornworm and the tomato hornworm. The terms sphinx moths or hawk moths describe the adults in this family, not the larvae, while leafworms is a more general label for some caterpillars that feed on leaves and isn’t specific to Sphingidae. So the best answer is hornworms.

Sphingidae larvae have a distinctive tail horn—a curved, horn-like projection on the last abdominal segment. That feature gives rise to the common name hornworms for many species, such as the tobacco hornworm and the tomato hornworm. The terms sphinx moths or hawk moths describe the adults in this family, not the larvae, while leafworms is a more general label for some caterpillars that feed on leaves and isn’t specific to Sphingidae. So the best answer is hornworms.