Tobacco hornworms

[hibiscusmile]

Big Buggers! Dear God!

 

[sbugir]

I must say that your daughter has cajones! What a fun but oh so scary time.

 

[lancaster1313]

Is is funny when other people see her with her creepy critters. She will be all girly and loves to dress in pink, and then... She will come running up to someone with an especially large or scary creature. I must say that it is surprising to most people. :lol: I am trying to teach her the dangers of showing these things to people who might be frightened. She totally flipped out when a boy next door screamed and stepped on a millipede that was passing by. She tried to beat him up, and then cried on and off all day, every time she thought about it.

 

[LauraMG]

Is is funny when other people see her with her creepy critters. She will be all girly and loves to dress in pink, and then... She will come running up to someone with an especially large or scary creature. I must say that it is surprising to most people. :lol: I am trying to teach her the dangers of showing these things to people who might be frightened. She totally flipped out when a boy next door screamed and stepped on a millipede that was passing by. She tried to beat him up, and then cried on and off all day, every time she thought about it.

Sounds like my niece. My sis has (I think) 31 tarantulas and has a few emperor scorpions and whatever else they pick up along the way. My niece tried to beat up some kids at school for stepping on spiders and squishing cacoons. She's almost 9. I think it's great that she has such a great appreciation and protective feeling for natures creatures.

 

[lancaster1313]

I was wrong about the larva. They were not Manduca sexta (Tobacco hornworm, or six spotted hawkmoth), they were actually Manduca rustica (Rustic sphinx). I was wondering why they weren't eating the tomato plant that was a couple of feet away. I also was wondering why there were pretty lavender highlights on the lines, and the rough thorax and rough green horn. I thought it was much prettier than the other hornworms. :lol:

 

[Peter Clausen]

I almost hate to point out...(okay, not really) but mantises look very much like these when they are first emerging from the oothecae. Wriggling and maggot-like and with beady little black eyes! Sure, they shortly transform into something quite distinct, but it isn't nearly so miraculous as the adult rustic sphinx!

I find nothing about their appearance disgusting, whatsoever. Similar in shape, I find hotdogs unnatural and significantly more disturbing!

 

[lancaster1313]

I almost hate to point out...(okay, not really) but mantises look very much like these when they are first emerging from the oothecae. Wriggling and maggot-like and with beady little black eyes! Sure, they shortly transform into something quite distinct, but it isn't nearly so miraculous as the adult rustic sphinx!I find nothing about their appearance disgusting, whatsoever. Similar in shape, I find hotdogs unnatural and significantly more disturbing!

:lol: I also like every thing about them. I think that all anthropods are amazing. Anything that goes through any kind of metamorphosis, or even just ecdysis, is interesting to me. I couldn't wait to grow up when I was young, I only had puberty to worry about. If I had to molt, that would be a different story :lol: , add complete metamorphosis to that and I would have refused to grow up! Life in all forms is interesting to me, but anthropods are my favorites. I only eat kosher hotdogs , I try not to think about how they are processed. :lol:

 

[Precarious]

WHAT A GREAT PHOTO! I love to see kids unafraid of insects.

 

[lancaster1313]

WHAT A GREAT PHOTO! I love to see kids unafraid of insects.

Thanks, my husband thinks it is disgusting because that caterpillar is on her face. I worry more about her touching the dog :lol: , he has been seen running through ,and rolling himself on a glass lizard carcass! I still love my dog, but compared to my bugs, he can be pretty gross.