Thursday Invertebrate Blogging: Hitchhiking Hornworm

The combination of our super-heated work schedules and the super-heated air had taken their toll on the plants struggling to survive in the postage stamp sized rectangle of dirt that we call "the backyard." We decided that when it comes to the elements, the best defense is offense. Instead of retreating into the air-conditioned darkness of our apartment and brooding about what might have been, we decided to rescue the survivors and bring in some reinforcements from ZuZu's Petals. 

When we got to ZuZu's, a very knowledgeable staff member asked us which criteria were important to us in a garden plant. We agreed the main criterion was the ability to survive our caretaking. We also mentioned that the time we were most likely to enjoy the plants was in the evening. To serve the latter requirement, she pointed us in the direction of Nicotiana, a tropical plant with white blooms that  appear almost luminescent at night, and has the additional benefit of releasing a pleasing fragrance after sundown. Perhaps the pollinators in their native environment are nocturnal.

I picked up one of the plants, and noticed a plump green hitchhiker gleefully chewing off one of the flowers. A normal customer would have promptly selected another plant. An abnormal customer would insist on purchasing the plant with the attached pest so that he could photograph it and write about it later. As you can guess, I fell into the latter category. 

The tobacco hornworm, and it's close relative, the tomato hornworm, are the larval form of Manduca sexta, the sphinx or hawk moth, which is also sometimes referred to as the "hummingbird moth." These voracious feeders can be serious agricultural pests.

I promised ZuZu's that I would e-mail them copies of any pictures I took. The guy behind the cash register, who clearly had an eye for design, helpfully suggested that a bright red background would be just the thing to set off the vibrant chartreuse of the caterpillar. I thought that was excellent advice. Fortunately, we had an enameled washtub that was the exact shade needed.

I think they'd make nice Christmas cards.

For more lovable critters from around the blogosphere, visit the Friday Ark.

Comments

[Alida]

This is thee most wonderful site ever! I have been mezmorized for at last an hour just reading your stories and admiring your amazing photography. I am in awe at how you can get such clear and beautiful shots of living insects. I will def be here often!

[buddy don]

verr nice shots, sir. i agree bout how the background bein red makes that thar bug stand out. art kin barely touch natcher fer such beauty.

[Sunidesus]

I think I'd have done the same thing! Great shots. The little "eyes" all down his (her?) sides are amazing.