Manduca rustica
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Manduca rustica, the rustic sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. It is found in the southern parts of the United States (straying into the northern United States at times), southward through Mexico, Central America and South America to Uruguay.
The larvae feed on a variety of plants including Jasminum, Bignonia and Chilopsis. Larvae have been recorded on plants from a variety of families, including Bignoniaceae, Oleaceae, Verbenaceae, Convolvulaceae and Lamiaceae.
The species is widespread and adaptable, living in varied habitats from rainforests to deserts and thriving in urban and disturbed habitat. It can live on many types of native and exotic plants. Manduca rustica cortesi (Cary, 1963) (Mexico)
Lucia) Manduca rustica rustica (Americas) Lotts, Kelly & Naberhaus, Thomas (2017). "Rustic... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galápagos Islands | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Ostional Wildlife Refuge | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 3 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 5 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 6 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 7 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Parque Natural Metropolitano | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 9 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 10 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 11 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manaus | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Porto Alegre | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Phoenix | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Buenos Aires | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 6 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Panama City | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 8 | Lima | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 9 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rustic Sphinx sighting in Ostional Wildlife Refuge on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 40th most-seen of the 47 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Rustic Sphinx in Ostional Wildlife Refuge on a given day, against under 5% in August to June, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rustic Sphinx sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 11 parks where we can rate Rustic Sphinx sightings, Ostional Wildlife Refuge ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Galápagos Islands (Ecuador, about 10%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Rustic Sphinx that you can see in Ostional Wildlife Refuge (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Banded Peacock (about 60%), Malachite (about 40%) and Gulf Fritillary (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rustic Sphinx is recorded against all the insects logged in Ostional Wildlife Refuge (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
