Not only are my veggies doing well this summer but seems these darn hornworm caterpillars are also doing well, alas! The pics below are a handful I've found on my tomato plants but I've also found several on my pepper plants too.
I typically know they're there when I see their frass, which I then notice the defoliation. The problem with this is that by this time the caterpillars are BIG and have eaten quite a bit. Even knowing they're there, it's sometime difficult to find them, as they blend in so well.
This one below looks like a unicorn with the one white cocoon atop it's head!
The soft white growths are actually the cocoons of a parasitoid wasp – a species of braconid wasp. These tiny wasps are doing me a favor and killing the hornworm caterpillar by using the body as a hatching ground for their young - a ‘meals on wheels’ kinda thing!
These have all been dealt with and I will continue to keep an eye out for more.
It's always something with gardening. Whether these dudes, other bad insects to rabbits and deer the fun never stops and keeps me on my toes. Ah, the joys of gardening!
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