Hornworms

I found and photographed these two on my tomato plants today. I also found this explanation on the web...

Tomato Hornworm - are 3-4" long green caterpillars with diagonal lines on sides, prominent horn on rear end. Eat foliage and may take bites out of green fruit. Tomato hornworms are the larvae of 2 large moths: the Hawkmoth and the Sphinx moth and overwinter in the soil in the pupal stage. Adult moths appear in late spring and lay single,
pearl colored eggs on the undersides of plant leaves that hatch in about a week. Larvae feed on foliage for about a month before they enter the soil and pupate. They can be difficult to spot as coloring matches plant. Look for them on the undersides of leaf-stripped branches. They can easily be hand-picked and destroyed or if infestation is severe, use Bt (Bacillius thuringiensis) dust.

Braconid wasps will kill these caterpillars by implanting rice-like eggs on their backs and Trichogramma wasps parasitize the eggs.

Both images with D100. Top photo with Tamron 28-75mm, bottom with Nikon 50mm and a plus 2 el cheapo closeup filter. Both at f/22.
Jarrell

 

Thanks all..

Leigh, I just wonder how the Tomato Hornworm manages to find my tomato plants 'cause I only have two of them. I thought I had them hidden..  
Jarrell

 

Colorful though, aren't they

Kevin, the only time I've found them is when I plant a couple of tomato plants also. What I'd like to photograph is the small wasp in the act of doing this. Probably never happen.
Thanks all for your input.
Jarrell

 

I have sat and watched

wasps before, not the smaller variety that preys on these catapillars, the larger red ones. One day I noticed the wasp very slowly cruzing the branches of a hedge and when he found what he was looking for, a small catapillar, he quickly stung it then grasped it in his legs and flew off with it. You'd have to be fast to get a shot of that..  
Jarrell

 

I'm glad you all liked them..

and I'm also glad they're such slow moving creatures.. :smile:
Made the job a lot easier!
Jarrell