A major hurdle in biological research is raising the research organism.
Many organisms are expensive to maintain in terms of time and labor.
Research insects such as the African migratory locust, Colorado potato beetle, and aphids require living plants for food. An advantage of using Manduca sexta is that you can feed it an artificial diet made from easily available ingredients. This diet can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. To keep your larvae growing strong, give them fresh food from your supply every day. Fold the foil in half lengthwise, to 13 inches by 11 inches.