Is this a Hawkmoth?

azgirl · May 18, 2010

I found this guy in my tomatoes this morning. I am hoping he is not a hawkmoth (hornworm), but I really don't know my bugs. I am trying to convince my son to go kill it for me. I would appreciate any help in identifying it.

Is it good or bad? (I am assuming bad.) What do I do about it?

Thanks,
Melissa

Timmah! · May 18, 2010

Looks like one to me. To be sure, I would remove it from the garden.

azgirl · May 18, 2010

My son tried to "help" by blasting it with water and now I can't find it. Ugh!

svalli · May 18, 2010

You better get some BT, when the kids of that hawkmoth start hatching.

My son grew the hornworms in a jar and fed them with pruned tomato leaves. We kept them in sand filled jar in the garage over the winter and next spring we got hawkmoths. I was more happy about his monarch and swallowtail growing projects, but seeing the big hawkmoths in real life made me hate less the ugly green caterpillars.

Sari

azgirl · May 18, 2010

What does BT stand for again? Just so I buy the right stuff....

Thanks,
Melissa

kwselke · May 18, 2010

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) it is sold under many brand names and comes as a powder or a liquid.

stormymater · May 18, 2010

Some brand names around here are : Worm Whipper (my fav name) & Dipel

May 18, 2010	#3
azgirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arizona Posts: 113	My son tried to "help" by blasting it with water and now I can't find it. Ugh! __________________ Melissa in AZ

May 18, 2010	#4
svalli Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Vaasa, Finland, latitude N 63° Posts: 838	You better get some BT, when the kids of that hawkmoth start hatching. My son grew the hornworms in a jar and fed them with pruned tomato leaves. We kept them in sand filled jar in the garage over the winter and next spring we got hawkmoths. I was more happy about his monarch and swallowtail growing projects, but seeing the big hawkmoths in real life made me hate less the ugly green caterpillars. Sari __________________ "I only want to live in peace, plant potatoes and dream." - Moomin-troll by Tove Jansson

May 18, 2010	#5
azgirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arizona Posts: 113	What does BT stand for again? Just so I buy the right stuff.... Thanks, Melissa __________________ Melissa in AZ

May 18, 2010	#2
Timmah! Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Elizabethtown, Kentucky 6a Posts: 754	Looks like one to me. To be sure, I would remove it from the garden.

May 18, 2010	#6
kwselke Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 172	Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) it is sold under many brand names and comes as a powder or a liquid.

May 18, 2010	#7
stormymater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pleasure Island, NC 8a Posts: 1,162	Some brand names around here are : Worm Whipper (my fav name) & Dipel