Never make assumptions on what something may be.

[mantisman 230]

Earlier tonight I had gone to run something to a neighbors house, and on my way back I noticed what I thought was a massive hornworm caterpillar. I found six in total, and I have collected them for study. Anyhow upon further research I found that they are not hornworms at all, but sphinx moth caterpillars!

 

[dmina]

Picture please...

 

[mantisman 230]

They are waved sphinx moths

 

[MantidBro]

I think theyre the same caterpillar but just have different names that can be used

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/2009/09/11/probably-waved-sphinx-caterpillar/

"This is a Sphinx Moth Caterpillar, known as a Hornworm. It is most likely a Waved Sphinx, Ceratomia undulosa."

Awesome find though! I caught 2 last year!

 

[Cap10Squirty]

Yeah those are hornworms. I've got a dozen pupating right now...a female can lay several hundred eggs in case you were interested were interested in rearing them as feeders.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

Just don't get you're hopes up that he's actually going to turn into a moth. I wouldn't be surprised if he erupts into a mass of parasitic braconid wasp larvae within the next few days- in my experience it happens to the majority of large spingid caterpillars brought in from outside. It's not nescesarrily the same way where you live but I still think that any hornworm who escapes parasitization is a lucky hornworm.

 

[MantidBro]

Yeah those are hornworms. I've got a dozen pupating right now...a female can lay several hundred eggs in case you were interested were interested in rearing them as feeders.

Damn thats a lot! Wish id let mine pupate..

 

[mantisman 230]

No, not hornworms, normal hornworms are the tobacco hornworm, these are distinctly different from them because they lack certain features and they have white facial markings. But so far all are eating extremely well, no sign of parasites yet. My area sees less of that type of paratization.

 

[mantisman 230]

Also, these guys eat privet, hornworms eat nightshade variety plants.

 

[MantidBro]

There are many species of hornworm

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manduca_sexta

"Adult M. sexta are known as Carolina sphinx moths"

 

[mantisman 230]

True, I mean by the hornworms used for feeders xD

 

[mantisman 230]

So here is my largets cat next to my female Hierodula membranacea

 

[MantidBro]

So here is my largets cat next to my female Hierodula membranacea

A good meal! LOLId fed mine to my mantids... Lol

 

[mantisman 230]

lool

 

[mantisman 230]

Their new setup

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

Huh I didn't read this carefully and thought there was only one!

I think you're right about not having as many parasitoids, as you found six and none of them have any cocoons on their backs. Although I wouldn't be surprised if some of them nevertheless do turn out to be parasitized... There's no symptoms. You can't tell until just before the grubs emerge, when they paralyze their host so it doesn't move as they chew their way out.

 

[mantisman 230]

I would think parasitoids would be at a minimum, as they were next to a lake (dragon and damselflies) and there were many spiders making their webs close by xD.

 

[MantidBro]

Their new setup

P1010005.JPG

Very nice!!

 

[mantisman 230]

Ohai!