Portrait of a Tobacco Hornworm

Indyartist · July 31, 2011

This fellow was consuming the leaves of my "Kardia Karpos" tomato plant tonight ,so, I brought him in and took his portrait. I took him back out and put him on a plant who is suffering from some sort of fruit disease that will not produce any good fruit this year anyway. This fellow can turn into a moth and come back next year to have his / her children terrorize my plants next year. I didn't have the heart to squash him.

ContainerTed · July 31, 2011

If you can't bring yourself to squash them, try throwing them at one of your local mockingbirds. They'll take care of the situation.

RayR · July 31, 2011

In all my years of gardening I never saw a hornworm...until a couple nights ago. In the evening I look over at my lush potted Mirasol pepper plant loaded with peppers and saw that it was not so lush anymore, leaves missing, leaves chewed up. Found two Tobacco Horn Worms on the main stem. Unlike you I was not so merciful. Luckily I caught them before they stripped the plant bare.

salix · August 1, 2011

Al, I think that is a lovely portrait. We don't get very many of the beasties up here, so I also show mercy and move them. Besides, I love the hawkmoths.

Tom M · August 14, 2011

I found 2 large ones earlier in the summer munching on my Nepal. I was wondering why the top leaves were missing on my plant and didn't notice them until the wasps had covered their backs with eggs. They made a tasty snack for the bullfrog living in my fish pond.

Tom

tjg911 · August 14, 2011

in an area right next to my garden it is wild and filled with wildflowers, mostly queen anne's lace. QAL is an excellent plant like dill to attract beneficial predators because it is a large flat surface with tons of tiny little flowers in that flat area. it is sort of like an aircraft carrier because it provides a landing surface and fuel. when mowing the grass i always see lots of small predatory wasps on the flowers, the other day it was a metallic neon green wasp! there are easily 100 to 150 QAL in there and this year i have seen only 2 THW and both were covered in egg sacks.

here's what they are http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweat_bee and here's what they look like http://www.google.com/search?q=metal...w&ved=0CDkQsAQ

btw, i've seen these for many years, sometimes i see metallic blue ones too, and despite what they said about sweat attracting them i have never been bothered by them. here's the blue wasp http://www.google.com/imgres?q=metal...1t:429,r:8,s:0

tom

July 31, 2011	#2
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	If you can't bring yourself to squash them, try throwing them at one of your local mockingbirds. They'll take care of the situation. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch Last edited by ContainerTed; July 31, 2011 at 05:22 PM.

August 14, 2011	#6
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	in an area right next to my garden it is wild and filled with wildflowers, mostly queen anne's lace. QAL is an excellent plant like dill to attract beneficial predators because it is a large flat surface with tons of tiny little flowers in that flat area. it is sort of like an aircraft carrier because it provides a landing surface and fuel. when mowing the grass i always see lots of small predatory wasps on the flowers, the other day it was a metallic neon green wasp! there are easily 100 to 150 QAL in there and this year i have seen only 2 THW and both were covered in egg sacks. here's what they are http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweat_bee and here's what they look like http://www.google.com/search?q=metal...w&ved=0CDkQsAQ btw, i've seen these for many years, sometimes i see metallic blue ones too, and despite what they said about sweat attracting them i have never been bothered by them. here's the blue wasp http://www.google.com/imgres?q=metal...1t:429,r:8,s:0 tom __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

July 31, 2011	#3
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,468	In all my years of gardening I never saw a hornworm...until a couple nights ago. In the evening I look over at my lush potted Mirasol pepper plant loaded with peppers and saw that it was not so lush anymore, leaves missing, leaves chewed up. Found two Tobacco Horn Worms on the main stem. Unlike you I was not so merciful. Luckily I caught them before they stripped the plant bare.

August 1, 2011	#4
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	Al, I think that is a lovely portrait. We don't get very many of the beasties up here, so I also show mercy and move them. Besides, I love the hawkmoths.

August 14, 2011	#5
Tom M Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern kentucky Posts: 4	I found 2 large ones earlier in the summer munching on my Nepal. I was wondering why the top leaves were missing on my plant and didn't notice them until the wasps had covered their backs with eggs. They made a tasty snack for the bullfrog living in my fish pond. Tom