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stella1751
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Applestar, I love that you are taking the time to share this with us! I don't know whether we have tomato hornworms up here; I did see one when I was gardening in the Denver area. However, if I ever do see one, I know to look for these larvae first. I don't think you should feel sorry for him, either. He knew the risks when he entered your garden. He went into this criminal act with his eyes wide open :lol:

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applestar
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@Stella :lol:

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Diane wrote:Last year I found a very large one with red horns and those white things on it's back.
I've been trying the remember if tomato hornworms have red horns -- I really don't think they do. The "horn" derives from the single projection on their tail end. I wonder if the one you saw was a Black Swallowtail caterpillar? They stick out bright orange-red horns from their heads when disturbed, which release a stinky odor. DD10 got "stinked" by one and was very incensed! :lol:

Oh! and then last year, one of our cats was batting at the butterfly nursery with a 5th instar Black Swallowtail caterpillar in it. I watched 8) to see what would happen.... Sure enough! The cat' got the cat. :lol: :lol: Poor kitty looked SOOO surprised and jumped away sneezing. :roll: :twisted: ... I didn't even mind that *I* had to smell it too! :>

--
Folks, if you jumped to the 2nd page of this thread, go back to the bottom of the 1st page to see new photos of the caterpillar COVERED and I mean COVERED with the wasp pupae.

a0c8c
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Good lord, that caterpillar is one unlucky guy. Once they hatch, he'll be gone in seconds.

top_dollar_bread
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applestar wrote:I've been trying the remember if tomato hornworms have red horns -- I really don't think they do.
AS
really great photos!!! ive been following my hornworms around for a while know but never got to see any of them get attacked by parasitic wasp. I'm jealous, because I love taking exotic or action photos of my garden insects.

ive been reading up on plants that attract beneficials. And So far I now grow alyssum and cosmos plus I let some lettuce, cilantro, fennel, and basil to flower to help attack the godd guys.
What (if any) plant in your garden, do you think is helping attract the parasitic wasp??
Also its the tomato hornworm that usually has a green horn, with black sides and the tobacco hornworm that has the red horn. & the sides of the horn worms help you identify witch is witch too. tomato horn worms have V's along ther sides, tobacco horn worms have a slanted slash on ther sides. I believe you have a tobacco horn worm.

[url]https://www.entomology.cornell.edu/public/IthacaCampus/ExtOutreach/DiagnosticLab/Factsheets/TomatoHornworm.html[/url]
[url]https://floridagardener.com/critters/Insect_Pests/HornWorm.htm[/url]

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applestar
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Ah! You're right! This one had lost the tip of it's tail horn somehow, but the diagonal lines vs. V's on the side are definite ID characteristics. I just assumed without verifying, since it's on the tomato plant and I'm not growing any Nicotiana this year, that it was a tomato hornworm.

Thanks for the links. I also found this one that shows and compares the two:
https://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4dmg/Pests/tomato.htm

It's hard to say what exactly in my garden is the primary attractant for the beneficials. I let most weeds grow to flower, then dead head or dig them up for the "drowned weed bucket." I have portions of lawn that are intentionally being replaced by white clover in the sunny areas and ground ivy in the shady areas. I let sections of grass flower -- TREMENDOUS beneficial attractant. I have a lot of flowering shrubs and plants to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, that also attracts a lot of other insects. I have a lot of fragrant flowers. There are ALWAYS some flowers in bloom throughout the season. In fact, I think in terms of "Hmm, I need more flowers that bloom this time of year." or "Gotta fill that gap between Irises and Liatris.... " I've even gone so far as to say "Oh these yellow mustard weed flowers are setting off the blue Amsonia flowers very nicely, so I can't cut them." :lol:

Right now, the spearmint patch is absolutely swarming with all kinds of bees and wasps, as are peppermint, cornmint, spotted mint, and lemon balm... and bees that come out of Rose of Sharons are completely dusted in pollen, Jewel Weed/Touch-Me-Not are constantly in motion without any breeze because all the flowers are being visited, Crimson Clover, White Clover, Plantain, and other "weeds", Butterfly Weed, Butterfly Bush, Button Bush, Summersweet, Red Cardinal Flower, Purple Lobelia, Salvia, Echinacea, Primrose, Aster, Calendula, Marigold, Bee Balm, Black-eyed Susan, Morning Glory, many grass species including my rice, and of course all the other vegetables... to name a few. :wink:
Last edited by applestar on Sun Aug 16, 2009 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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gixxerific
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Thanks Top_Dollar I was wrong I had a tobacco hornworm. I thought it was a tomato hornworm. I'm still calling it "Ol Horny" though.

[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/DSC02581.jpg[/img]

Is it possible that something is wrong with us taking multiple shots of bugs in our gardens? :P I took probably 30+ shots one day while working in the garden of bees, only to come up with this half good shot. The best ones were too blurry or something.

[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/DSC02670-1.jpg[/img]

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Duh_Vinci
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gixxerific wrote:...Is it possible that something is wrong with us taking multiple shots of bugs in our gardens? :P I took probably 30+ shots one day while working in the garden of bees, only to come up with this half good shot. The best ones were too blurry or something.
Gix - that hornworm is awesome photo! As for the blurriness on some shots, bees are moving objects, so it is rather difficult to nail these shots, specially with Point/Shoot camera.

I haven't done much macro work this year, but few bugs to share, just a few we can find in our gardens:

[img]https://drphotography.smugmug.com/photos/210473314_K6DZu-XL.jpg[/img]

[img]https://drphotography.smugmug.com/photos/210444351_iRj2S-XL.jpg[/img]

[img]https://drphotography.smugmug.com/photos/210444849_vtepe-XL.jpg[/img]

Regards,
D

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gixxerific
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DV those aer some very awesome shots. Mine sucks to them, I must be doing something wrong.

Very cool my friend. :D

top_dollar_bread
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Duh_Vinci :shock:
AMAZING shots!!!, wow
gixxerific
I got one simialr to yours
here's a few of my own, ther nothing compared to the shots you guys have
[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3462/3746229161_0e4870e923_o.jpg[/img]
[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2476/3747018088_3fb4692b79_o.jpg[/img]

also check out the wildlife garden forum, if your interested
I have more shots of my garden insects and would love to see more photos of critters...

oh and thanx AS for sharing your secrets, were do you get clover seeds??or any other insectory plant, green crop, etc ive been wanting to grow alfalfa, buckwheat, and borage for some time now..I cant ever find seeds thought

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Diane
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[/quote]Applestar
I've been trying the remember if tomato hornworms have red horns -- I really don't think they do. The "horn" derives from the single projection on their tail end.
.[/quote]

I guess it was a tobacco worm. With one red horn. Who knew? :lol:

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Gary350
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That is a cool looking worm with some excellent camouflage. And it is about to be several 100 babies. Dust your plants with Sevin dust.

I have noticed a lot of folks on this forum has a lot of trouble with bugs. I have no trouble at all. I have 25 bird houses and that surely helps but I bet it has a lot to do with your geographical location and your climate and the type of bugs you have in your area.

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gixxerific
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Sevin is some bad stuff, do a search on here there is plenty on info on it. I would post some up but I'm about to go check out a new Agri store I found that is very close.

Alright fine I couldn't help it here are a couple links from this site.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8520
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1595

Scary stuff I have used it before but never again. :shock:



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