Tomato…err Tobacco Hornworm

Tomato Hornworms (Manduca quinquemaculata) have straight black horns.  Tobacco Hornworms (Manduca sexta) have curved red horns… unless they’re an early instar and then they have straight black horns.  Great.

Looking back at all hornworm photos I’ve taken here I realize I’ve only taken pictures of Tobacco Hornworms.   I wonder if that’s all I’ve seen around here.

Tomato and Tobacco Hornworms are a pest of a few types of solanaceous (nightshade) plants.  I find them on tomatoes most often but they also feed on eggplant, potatoes and peppers. I think I’ve only seen them on tomatoes here, but Sister Squid recently found one taking exactly three bites out of each of the peppers on her banana pepper plant.

Tobacco Hornworm (Manduca sexta) on tomato plant

Tobacco Hornworm (Manduca sexta) on tomato plant

A single hornworm can do considerable damage to a plant in short of time. Many times it’s obvious something’s eating the plant and due to heaps of hornworm poo, but it’s still hard to find the sucker.

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Hornworm frass (droppings, poo, poop)

Hornworm frass (droppings)

Just keep looking. Play detective… where’s the poo?  Look up from there.

Here’s one of my favorite sights to see.  I doubt you’ll see this in a non-organic garden.  A tobacco hornworm covered in parasitic wasp cocoons.  The tiny wasp paralyzes the hornworm and lays eggs inside the hornworm.  The wasp larva hatch and feed, then exit to spin a cocoon on the outside of their host. Finally they emerge as adults and continue the cycle.  Awesome.

Parasitic wasp cocoons on Tobacco Hornworm

Parasitic wasp cocoons on Tobacco Hornworm

 

About Stalk of Fennel

I like to grow stuff I can use!
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