I found this cute fella on my brug's leave. The many birds in the garden will find it in no time. So I decided to raise it in a protective cage. Then I also discovered a smaller instar. Now there are two cats. to start my cats. raising-season.
My first Cat. to be raised this season.
Yay, I love the Sphinx moth cats! Even if they are on my Brugs!
Did you read the article on DG yesterday about this guy? I hope you have lots of leaves!
Yes, to both of your questions, Mellie. The big guy ate half of a big leave yesterday. But looks like it stop and rest? I found it crawling to my cage's wall this morning. The little one is on a seedling, but not much damage yet to the sacrificial plant. lol. I experimented with brug's seeds this winter. As a result, I've many too feed those. Hope they'll do ok.
I'll post daily pics. of these two's activities. All is well at the present. They're both on the intended brug munching away.
I was deluged with these cats last year, they ate my tomato plant leaves and my brugs and I became very distinctly UNfond of them. They get HUGE and they'll eat every single leaf in no time!!!!! I had baby brugs which they destroyed. This year, I hate to admit it, but when I found the baby cats on my only tomato plant, I had to send them to sphinx moth cat heaven, I just don't want to deal with them this year.
Thea, I understand completely how you feel about the cats. I've excess plants that I can spare to raise a few. They deserve a place in my garden for they do pollinate the many brugmansia blooms that I'll have later in the season.
You're a good lady, Ms Lily. I hate so much to kill any living thing, but those big fat green guys chewed down all my brugs AND my tomato plants, I put up with them for a long time but then when I had more of THEM than leaves, I couldn't stand them any longer. Many DID make it to maturity though.
I wrote that article, LOL, and I'll be the first to admit I wouldn't try to spare every one if my veggie garden were overrun with them... but most years, it's only a few, and I can just transfer them over to plants that I don't mind them trashing a bit. It's remarkable to me how most plants can bounce back after being stripped like that! :-)
For that reason, plants will bounce back. I've no fear of feeding them some young brugmansias for now. Once one get stripped down. I will take it out and nurse it back to health. Just simply replace another. I've many seedlings to alternate b/w feedings.
Kim
This is but the third brug seedling that I alternated since I decided to rescue this little fella from the harsh outdoor. It's happily munching away & appears to rest at nights -- since every morning I'd find it on the cage crawling around, but later in the day it returned to the brug. to resume its feast. The small instar is missing though. I don't know where it disappear to? Must have gotten into the pots that I removed and escaped.
Well now something has been eating my brugs and I haven't found the culprit yet. I wonder if it is these guys??
Going out to take another good look now lol
Thanks everyone!
Lisa
Hi Lisa, here is a link where I discovered my first Tersa moth and with the help of many kind DGers from this very forum, I raised the cat. and successfully released it last year.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/774042/
That was a great thread Lily!!
Thanks for showing it to me :)
I didn't see anything on my brugs again last night but I will keep on checking. Something is chomping away at them :)
Lisa
The 'lil one is doing well. Well not so little, it has grown quite a bit since I first found it I think.
Oh, he looks fat & sassy!
You really have to look for them Lisa, they blend in like magic, especially when they're small.
Early morning hours, it's still sleepy hasn't resumed its daily munching program!
Beautiful. I don't have brugs but a few tomato plants I would gladly sacrifice for one of these beauties. Actually most of my tomato plants are half dead so I wish one would come and finish them off. LOL. Keep the pics coming they are great.
Leslie