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Finding this fascinating creature on my tomatoes, I have decided to raise him. He is gorgeous and HUGE! It shouldn't be long before he pupates and I'll keep him safe until spring emergence. They are beautiful sphinx moths and have their place in our ecosystem. Please do not use chemicals on this stunning and fascinating being.
They are fascinating, aren't they? I do understand that oeople might have to react with "extreme prejudice" if their garden is overrun with them, but when you just find a few out there, it makes more sense to move them to another plant and let them do their thing. :-)
If you enjoy butterflies and moths, you might consider subscribing and participating in the Hummingbird & Butterfly Gardening forum... you'll find other folks there raising "cats" of all kinds.
Thanks! I was unaware of the Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening forum; I will check it out! Currently, we are raising Luna moths, Cecropia moths, Monarchs and the hornworms!! So much fun, so fascinating!
Cool! I found a Cecropia cat a couple of years ago and decided he'd be better off where he was (my contorted filbert) than under my inexpert care... I sure hope he made it! We'll set up some raising chambers when my daughter is a bit older, though, because you're right -- fun & fascinating!
It was so fast, it was very hard to get a picture. I have a few more. One of it face down in the flower, if you want me to post it.
They are very amazing!
Face down, LOL.. probably got pollen on his snout!
I saw a different kind zipping from one little bloom to another on a stand of phlox a couple days ago, but by the time I ran inside for my camera and returned, he was long gone. Note to self -- camera in my pocket, always!
Tomato hornworms may turn into beautiful five-spotted hawkmoths, but I grow tomatoes to feed my family. When I find them, I terminate them with extreme prejudice, and throw their bodies into my composter. Live and let live; but not in MY garden. I figure by removing those worms eating my tomato plants from the gene pool, I'm improving the species' survivability anyway by weeding out genes that make them a target of the worst extinction machine since the dinosaur-killer; humans. Having said that, the article was informative, even though I disagree with the sentiment that they should not be killed on sight.
