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Good Guy or Bad Guy?

Posted: Sep 07, 2005 12:22 pm
by PeggyB
I found this chubby critter happily munching away this morning. Any idea what it is and if it's good or bad?

Posted: Sep 07, 2005 12:40 pm
by pauhaus
Hi Peggy. Looks like a tomato hornworm. Here's a little link:

http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/content/an ... /2862.html

Posted: Sep 07, 2005 12:54 pm
by Annie
We always called them tomato worms :D
They eat tomato plants I know.

Posted: Sep 07, 2005 1:34 pm
by Chris_W
Bad guy as a caterpillar, but they are cool to watch when they grow up. They turn into sphinx moths aka hawk moths aka hummingbird moths.

Image

Image

Image

When we grow tomatoes we will plant an extra section for these guys. If we find them we move them to the correct area to feed on. :)

Posted: Sep 07, 2005 1:58 pm
by pauhaus
I don't know how you did it Chris, but those are really great shots! Thanks for sharing. :P

Posted: Sep 07, 2005 2:06 pm
by Deb118
Those rotten little b@$t@rds turn into humming bird moths????? :o :o :o

Posted: Sep 07, 2005 3:20 pm
by LucyGoose
Wow Peggy! I haven't seen one of those yet this year, but have in the past....So, what did you do with it? Or did you do anything?

Chris, excellent pictures!! I remember the first time I saw one of those sphinx moths....I had you guys here ID it.....Thanks again for those cool pictures of them! :D

Here's a link for ya Peggy!

http://www.birds-n-garden.com/white-lin ... moths.html

Posted: Sep 07, 2005 7:22 pm
by PeggyB
Wowzers! :wow: You guys are GREAT, thanks!
Chris, your pics are super!

I'm thinking since this guy was feeding on a Nicotiana Sylvestris he is probably a Tobacco Horn Worm.
The link Paul provided said "they are a related species which devour tobacco plants."

Lucy, I left him munching away! :lol:

Posted: Sep 07, 2005 10:07 pm
by Old earth dog
It is always a toss up on what to do, knowing they are the larva of the Hummer moth. Chris's idea of growing extra plants and moving them is so simple it's brilliant. :beer:
Great pics!

Posted: Sep 08, 2005 6:30 am
by wishiwere
Great shots, all of you! Wheweee! Yes, too bad they eat their way in to adult beauties! :)