...and it is green.
Tobacco hornworm caterpillar.
Also, I am missing a few. This one came from the north side of the roof, where it and its previously evicted brethren had been chewing up a late-planted Mexican Heirloom (a volunteer from the floor of the terrace). On the south side of the roof, leaves had been eaten, nay, decimated, but no caterpillar could be found. Even Vince went to look - he is a trained chameleon hunter - and nothing.
I think it, or they, had already dived deep into the soil of a pot to pupate.
The cat caught one of the moths the other night. He made me proud.
I don't hate many things, but these guys are close to the top of my list because they are so destructive, and so invisible until it's too late.
ReplyDeleteBless you, Estorbo!
Tomato hornworms are known to eat various plants from the family Solanaceae, commonly attacking tomato, eggplant, pepper, tobacco, moonflowers and potato. Accordingly, they are often found on defoliated tomato plants, the caterpillar clinging to the underside of a branch near the trunk. They are difficult to spot due to their green coloration. Gardeners' anecdotes have mentioned the use of a blacklight to find the hornworms on tomato plants at night, where they glow under the ultraviolet. They can be reduced by planting marigold flowers around these plants
ReplyDeleteAnne - Estorbo licks his lips...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anonymous - nice copy and paste job :-)
Oddly I've never had these on my tomatoes in the Northeast. In California I paid my son a nickle for every one he picked off. (a penny for snails).
ReplyDeleteThey are really beautiful though in an other-worldly sort of way.
haven't seen these before -- but is it okay if I love its little "tail"? That's a beautiful, beautiful photo & the little guy is so gorgeously articulated.
ReplyDelete