Growth of Manduca sexta from Egg to Pupation

School Name

Governor's School for Science & Mathematics

Grade Level

12th Grade

Presentation Topic

Zoology

Presentation Type

Mentored

Mentor

Mentor: Charles Beard, Clemson University

Oral Presentation Award

1st Place

Abstract

The Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexta, is a type of sphinx moth reared for the purpose of studying its proboscis. It is indigenous to North America. Its larval diet consists of the leaves of the nightshade family, while its adult diet revolves around the nectar of white flowers. There have been issues at Clemson’s entomology labs concerning the feeding of the adults and overall survival rate during studies of the species. This is due to a diet lacking in nutrients in the final larval stage before pupation. In the first part of this study, the caterpillars were placed in modified mosquito breeders with different types of food, all containing some form of carotenoids (except for the control). They were fed and grown, with several of the food types causing the mortality of their ten designated caterpillars and only two being able to take about half of the original population to pupation. This was crucial into the second part of this experiment, as it required the caterpillars to survive to a certain size and age and be healthy enough to develop into pupae. After a few weeks, older and larger caterpillars were introduced to carotenoids later in their life cycle. These had been previously eating the commercially made food meant specifically for them. The ratio of the commercially made food in their diets to the carotenoid food was changed to see if they would have better vision after they made it to adulthood. The caterpillars grew and the survivors pupated.

Location

Wall 211

Start Date

3-25-2017 8:30 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 25th, 8:30 AM

Growth of Manduca sexta from Egg to Pupation

Wall 211

The Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexta, is a type of sphinx moth reared for the purpose of studying its proboscis. It is indigenous to North America. Its larval diet consists of the leaves of the nightshade family, while its adult diet revolves around the nectar of white flowers. There have been issues at Clemson’s entomology labs concerning the feeding of the adults and overall survival rate during studies of the species. This is due to a diet lacking in nutrients in the final larval stage before pupation. In the first part of this study, the caterpillars were placed in modified mosquito breeders with different types of food, all containing some form of carotenoids (except for the control). They were fed and grown, with several of the food types causing the mortality of their ten designated caterpillars and only two being able to take about half of the original population to pupation. This was crucial into the second part of this experiment, as it required the caterpillars to survive to a certain size and age and be healthy enough to develop into pupae. After a few weeks, older and larger caterpillars were introduced to carotenoids later in their life cycle. These had been previously eating the commercially made food meant specifically for them. The ratio of the commercially made food in their diets to the carotenoid food was changed to see if they would have better vision after they made it to adulthood. The caterpillars grew and the survivors pupated.