I was out in the garden today and noticed that one of my Cherokee Purple tomato plants had a few bare stems.
Stems completely stripped of their soft, green leaves.
I knew exactly what I needed to be looking for...
...and I found HIM! Happily munch, munch, munching away at another leaf stem.
This is the first Tobacco Horn Worm I've found in the garden this year. Longer than my middle finger, and about as big around. I know there will be others, so I will have my eagle eyes on the tomato plants from now on. Horn worms cause great damage to plants. Thankfully, they're easy to pick off, and easy to dispose of. The ducks LOVE them!
Don't remember my first ever encounter with one of these monsters? Read about it and see more detailed photos, and even learn the difference between Tobacco Horn worms and Tomato Horn Worms.
Learn even more about the Tobacco Horn Worm, or Manduca Sexta.
Ugh, glad the ducks like them. I hate even touching the buggers to get them off the plants. ;(
Posted by: carol dee | May 28, 2013 at 03:01 PM
Ick! Still better than a grasshopper though :)
Posted by: jkincolorado | May 27, 2013 at 05:46 PM
Kinda cool looking but not something you want hanging around your veggies. Wonder what kind of winged creature they turn into?
Posted by: alwight | May 27, 2013 at 04:00 PM
Nasty little creature! Glad you caught him before he destroyed more plants....and I'm happy for the ducks!!
Julie
Posted by: Julie | May 27, 2013 at 03:52 PM