Hello everyone!

It has been a long time since I looked you up and see that the site has changed and really grown :)

Now for question:
What kind of caterpillar is about three inches long, the size of a person's thumb, looks like a rolled up leaf, has faint off white chevrons on body and one tan colored horn about 3/8" long, large round and very fat feet colored a lighter green than the body?

He/she was found on damp soil (after a hard rain) near some Lady Banks roses, Zinnias, Sacred Datura and a mish-mash of 'butterfly attracters' located in central Arizona at about mid-morning and at about 80 degrees, today, October 11.

Thank you in advance!

I saw your question and have been hoping somebody would answer it. I looked in my butterfly and moth book, but couldn't find anything. Caterpillars are often listed under the butterfly or moth they turn into.

Perhaps you could ask your county extension agent. Look in your phone book under government listings for extension or cooperative extension offices.

I am sorry nobody here answered your question.

Dear labman,

Thank you for your reply! I was not sure my question had posted. I saw one feeding and have since found...

It is a Manduca quinquemaculata. Also known by the names of Tomato Hornworm and Five Spotted Sphinx Moth caterpillar.

It becomes the Hawk Moth with a wing span of about four inches, a proboscis four inches long and is often mistaken for a hummingbird. (Good text can be found at http://aznps.org/pdf_files/September2003.PDF and good pictures are at http://www.arizonensis.org/sonoran/f...ca_quinqu.html

It feeds on Datura metaloides, also known as Sacred Datura and Jimpson weed, which just appeared in my yard this year and has grown enthusiastically (must use loppers to keep open path to front door :)).

We are enjoying them very much and are eagerly awaiting 'act three'.


Yours.
Steph84

I just found of these on my "tomatoe bush", eating it up quite well. I know that all things feed all things, would I want to leave it be and let it devour my bush or should I catch it and let it go somewhere else?

Please help!?

Quote:

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I just found of these on my "tomatoe bush", eating it up quite well. I know that all things feed all things, would I want to leave it be and let it devour my bush or should I catch it and let it go somewhere else?

Please help!?

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Dear singlecell,

I let my Tomatoe Hornworms stay on the Datura so that we could enjoy the moth form. Well, they never showed up... here. They all went next door and were feeding, just like hummingbirds from my neighbor's plants which have lots of red and yellow trumpet shaped flowers. So, next time I will be sure to have those planted close by so that we can watch them. They are so big I was just sure that they could not be the hawkmoth but indeed they were.

About moving them... do you have another plant for them to eat? I did not try moving them but this is an interesting idea. Datura is a weed here (and off the scale poisenous) so I did not care if the plant was damaged. Tomatoe plants are another story though... let me know how things turn out.

Yours,
Steph84