Hummingbird Moth
They seem really partial to flowering tobacco.
Sphnix
another shot:
Is the tomato hornworm the cat precursor of this moth?
opps, same pic.
This message was edited Aug 14, 2006 4:07 AM
another:
The moth arrive in a particular part of garden when there's hardly any sun left at all.
one more -
Different sphinx moths have different host plants. I am not an expert, but all the sphinx moth caterpillars I have seen are large, green, maybe a few spots or maybe just two, maybe several horns or maybe just one. Really depends on which sphinx it will turn into.
Some moths are dull in color and some have interesting markings and one or two have pink on them!
fabulous shots of a Carolina Sphinx Moth
The Tobacco hornworm is the Carolina Sphinx and it is the most common hornworm we see in our gardens. Tomato hornworms are different in appearance and not as common but still just as destructive.
Both kinds feed on the Solanaceae family which includes Brugmansia, Chinese lantern (Physalis), Datura, Eggplant, Nicotiana,Tobacco, Tomatoes, Peppers, Petunia, Potatoes, Solanum, etc
I'm a hornworm hugger :) But I don't grow vegetables and have the frustrations that veggie gardeners have to protect their crops.
My Mom tells stories of growing up in North Carolina Tobacco farming and how the old men used to purposely gross her out as a little girl by biting the hornworm heads off ... lol!
Yuck :)
Beautiful pictures jmorth. They would sure be a great addition to Bug Files under Carolina Sphinx (Tobacco Hornworm).