Manduca blackburni is closely related to the tomato hornworm (M. quinquemaculata), which it also physically resembles.

[4] It is found in coastal mesic and dry forests at elevations from sea level to 5,000 ft (1,500 m).

Larvae feed on plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae, especially native ʻaiea (Nothocestrum spp.

The adult feeds on nectar from native plants such as koali ʻawa (Ipomoea indica) and maiapilo (Capparis sandwichiana).

[5] It was listed as an endangered species by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 2000, making it the first Hawaiian insect to receive such a status.