Carolina Sphinx Manduca sexta

This moth has a second career as one of science's most important research animals. Its large caterpillar has been used for decades to study neuroscience, flight mechanics, chemical sensing, and immune responses — and its precise hovering flight has even inspired engineers designing micro-drones. Not many insects can claim influence over both biology and robotics.

The caterpillar, known as the tobacco hornworm, is a growth record-holder: it can multiply its body weight roughly 10,000 times between hatching and pupation, one of the fastest growth rates of any caterpillar. Despite looking intimidating — finger-sized, bright green, with a prominent red horn — that horn is completely harmless. First described by Carl Linnaeus in 1763, this species has fascinated scientists for over 250 years and keeps delivering new discoveries.