Poor thing is full of what seem to be parasitic wasp's larvae. Found this on my Canna this morning.
Saddleback Moth's Caterpillar ...
Aren't you glad you didn't get stung by it though?
Yes, I am, I am! hcmcdole, that's such a great macro shot of the bug! It appear appears they're happening on our zone at present.
This message was edited Sep 16, 2011 8:58 AM
The caterpillar didn't move none too far from where I saw it yesterday.
Yep, it's a goner. It will shrivel up and probably fall off any day now.
That must be your 'tomato horn worm' on datura? I saw one that was being aflicted with the same parasistic larvae last year or a year before.
Here is the Saddleback at close up;
Yep, that was a tomato/tobacco worm on a datura. Here is another one without parasitic wasps.
That pack saddle looks like it is covered from head to foot with parasitic wasps. I'd rather be stung by a yellow jacket than a pack saddle.
I've never been stung by bees or wasps nor victimized by those saddleback or any king of stinking caterpillars. But I trust you when you said that Saddleback cat's poison is that bad. Nature is awesome how things are made.
Consider yourself lucky then. I got stung by a pack saddle a couple of years ago and it felt like I was on fire for at least half an hour or more. The 3 yellow jacket stings I got the year before stung like the dickens but the pain goes away fairly quick. Even fire ants are nothing compared to an old pack saddle (saddleback).
