Have you ever encountered a hornworm in your garden and marveled at its size and bright green appearance? These intriguing creatures belong to the family Sphingidae and are renowned for their voracious appetite and unique features. After the chrysalis stage, the hornworm emerges as the sphinx moth. In southeastern Arizona, 49 species of sphinx moths have been collected.
Hornworms are large, robust caterpillars with distinctive horn-like protrusions at their posterior end, hence their name. These “horns” are harmless and are not used for defense but rather serve as a distinguishing characteristic of the species. The green caterpillar is 3-5 inches long with white and black stripes down either side of its body.
One well-known species of hornworm is the tomato hornworm which, as its name suggests, feeds primarily on tomato plants. It also has a taste for eggplants The tomato hornworm, Protoparce quinquemaculata, is the green caterpillar of a Sphinx moth. They are voracious eaters and can strip a tomato plant of its foliage overnight.
Despite their potentially destructive feeding habits, hornworms play a vital role in the ecosystem. As caterpillars, they serve as a food source for various predators, including birds, wasps, and certain insect-eating mammals. Additionally, they undergo metamorphosis into large, beautiful sphinx moths, which are important pollinators for many flowering plants.
The best protection against these caterpillars, check your plants regularly. If you find one, just pluck it off and toss it into a distant patch of undergrowth. They love to wriggle under your fingers clinging to the tomato stalk, but don’t fear, they will let go. If you find one, you will most likely find many so be vigilante when hunting them down. If you have praying mantis or assassin bugs they will make a meal of the hornworm.
Next time you spot a hornworm in your garden, take a moment to appreciate this remarkable creature. While they may pose a challenge to gardeners, they are also a testament to the diversity and complexity of the natural world.
Further reading:
Tomato Hornworm from the Cochise Master Gardeners
University of Arizona, Backyard Gardener – Sphinx Moth
Photo of Tomato Hornworm ©Stephanie van Latum and used with permission
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