This one is parasitized. My ecology class professor found him out in the woods in Upstate, SC yesterday during our lab. . That yellow bead is on his bum end. I've looked and looked, but can't seem to find anything but hornworms...and I know too well what they look like. Best pic I could get...
Do you remember this thread? In it I showed photos of parasitized hornworm with grey spots where the wasp larvae are under the skin, coming out. So it's possible those scattered spots are signs of emerging wasp larvae. Subject: Thought you could eat my tomatoes and get away with it, eh?
applestar wrote:
But I agree with you, Lindsay, that hornworms have their distinct diagonal marking even when in the younger instars. I think I have seen the caterpillar in your photo before... maybe in Bringing Nature Home by D. Tolmy. Do you have that book? I can look later.
Learning never ends because we can share what we've learned. And in sharing our collective experiences, we gain deeper understanding of what we learned.
I don't have that book... but I'll add it to my "to buy" list.
Definitely not tomato or tobacco hornworm, but it may be closely related. There were no diagonal markings associated with hornworms. I've searched every caterpillar guide I could find.
Hm. The ones I was thinking of in that book were promethia that you mentioned and Dryocampa rubicunda caterpillar. Not quite right I think?
Learning never ends because we can share what we've learned. And in sharing our collective experiences, we gain deeper understanding of what we learned.
It is a shame that these creatures do so much damage to our gardens. They really are amazing to watch.
After my recent battle with horn worms on my heirloom tomatoes I had to resort to dusting with Bt. Unfortunately it will kill the black swallow tail caterpillars on my dill.
This afternoon I planted 6 dill plants in pots away from my SFG boxes. 4 are for me. The other 2 are for the black swallow tails.
I don't mind sharing except for my tomatoes.
Elizabeth - or Your Majesty
Living and growing in Lafayette, La.
When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. ~Author Unknown
Oh cool! It's a grapeleaf eater. Maybe I might come across it here some day.... now I will have to go check the Butterflies and Moths site and see if any sighting has been reported for my area.....
...just checked the link rainbow posted -- really really interesting about the different instar forms, and I WAS wondering about whether they also fed on Virginia creeper... plus the 40 yr old sighting in NJ. Heh. All my questions answered.
Learning never ends because we can share what we've learned. And in sharing our collective experiences, we gain deeper understanding of what we learned.