hornworm
Green garden caterpillar
A hornworm is a large caterpillar of the sphinx moth family, named for the distinctive horn-like projection on its rear end.
These voracious feeders are garden pests notorious for devouring tomato, tobacco, and pepper plants almost overnight.
I found three hornworms stripping my tomato plants this morning.
The green caterpillars can grow several inches long and are surprisingly difficult to spot despite their size, blending well with foliage.
Red culinary fruit
- tobaccoDried smoking leaf
- pepperPungent dried berry spice
- eggplantPurple edible nightshade fruit
- potatoEdible underground tuber
nightshade · foliage · leaves · stems · transplants · seedlings
Moth or butterfly young
- instarArthropod developmental stage
- moltShed outer covering
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
- pupaInsect's resting stage
chrysalis · segmented · prolegs · larval · grub · life cycle · frass · mandibles
Loss of foliage
- crop damageHarm to cultivated plants
- infestationPest takeover situation
- handpickingSelecting carefully, individually
- insecticideToxic agent targeting pests
garden pest · biological control · parasitized · cocoons · scouting · damage · voracious · destructive
Host-dependent killer organism
- cocoonsProtective insect casings
- paper waspPulp-nest-building stinger
- birdsEgg-laying flying vertebrates
- lacewingGossamer-winged beneficial insect
ladybug · beneficial insects · natural enemies · biological control
tomato
Red culinary fruit
potato · nightshade · foliage · leaves · stems · transplants · seedlings
caterpillar
Moth or butterfly young
- instarArthropod developmental stage
- moltShed outer covering
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
pupa · chrysalis · segmented · prolegs · larval · grub · life cycle · frass · mandibles · spiracles
defoliation
Loss of foliage
- crop damageHarm to cultivated plants
- infestationPest takeover situation
- handpickingSelecting carefully, individually
insecticide · garden pest · biological control · parasitized · cocoons · scouting · damage · voracious · destructive
parasitoid
Host-dependent killer organism
- cocoonsProtective insect casings
- paper waspPulp-nest-building stinger
- birdsEgg-laying flying vertebrates
lacewing · ladybug · beneficial insects · natural enemies · biological control
- leaf eaterskoala, caterpillar, leaf insect, leafcutter ant, silkworm
- pestsants, ant, bugs, cockroach, cockroaches
- caterpillarscaterpillar, inchworm, silkworm, inchworms, spanworm
- crop pestsaphids, aphid, armyworm, beetles, cutworms
- larvaelarvae, larva, caterpillar, caterpillars, maggot
- plant pestsaphids, aphid, caterpillar, mealybugs, mites
hornwormbeneficial insect
Arthropod aiding agriculture
pollinator · bee · butterfly · ladybug · praying mantis
- tomato hornwormSphinx moth caterpillar stage