- The fall of the tobacco hornworm
- The life of the argiope garden spider
- The rise of the butterfly
Yes, I've been very busy and have suffered no nightmares thus far. Lots of goosebumps though. Lots and lots of goosebumps.
sharing the thrill of the dig, the joy of the harvest, decadent eats, and profoundish musings along the way...
Yes, I've been very busy and have suffered no nightmares thus far. Lots of goosebumps though. Lots and lots of goosebumps.
My awesome gardening friends...thanks for leaving a comment! I don't typically repond here, but I love knowing who you are so I can visit your blog as well.
btw - if you're trying to show me nude Miley Cyrus photos, sell me nikes or viagra or antibiotics, or encourage my lovely garden readers to visit your site on solar panel construction, or seo-whatevers, sorry, but I'm not publishing your comment. If you want to moderate my blog - well, I can't keep you too busy, and the pay would be horrible. And lastly, no. I'm not interested in Club Penguin cheat codes. Thanks anyway.
Check back every Saturday to see what other bloggers are harvesting and cooking right now. Want a badge? The code below is not half as bitter as the squash is.
This is so creepy and cool at the same time. I almost feel bad for the tomato hornworm. Almost.
ReplyDeleteerr... these creatures are horrible looking... hope no other in garden...
ReplyDeleteEwwwww, and ewwwww!
ReplyDeleteWow! It's like watching Animals Planet on TV! Good information!
ReplyDeleteI do feel bad for the hornworm. :)
ReplyDeleteWendy, you're more patient than I am, because I couldn't stand to keep mine on my precious plants (I blogged about the hornworms and parasitic wasps in my garden last week). One thing I noticed, though, I think you have a tobacco hornworm and not a tomato hornworm, based on the red horn and the diagonal stripes. A tomato hornworm is supposed to have a black horn and V-shaped markings. The two are very closely related and feed on pretty much the same Solanum species. Perhaps the distinction isn't important, but I like to get my names stright. :)
ReplyDeleteIt is so gross but so educational. This brings to mind the maxim,"the enemy of your enemy is your friend".
ReplyDeleteI agree....creepy yet cool....and seeing the progress of this is fascinating. And the words bug and dirt are fine in my world as well:) We don't have to write a science journals.....leave it to those who get their doctorites in plants yet can't grow a darn one:) I have a friend in this category:)
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy, Kinda gruesome. I guess those guys wreak havoc on plants, don't they? But when they "grow up" they become the beloved sphinx moth--the nighttime hummingbird. What a tough choice...
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! I'm trying to feel bad for the hornworm but can't. They are just too destructive to get my sympathy.
ReplyDeleteI had plenty of goosebumps watching those wasps 'transfigurations' that looked like eggs. Now, there'll be one less butterfly. Oh, well, I guess that's how nature takes care of itself.
ReplyDeleteHorrifying, but that's nature at work in the purest sense. I love it.
ReplyDeleteExcellent photos, Wendy!
minji - thanks for the info!! I have edited this post to reflect the correct info!!
ReplyDeleteGoosebumps and chills - thanks. :-P
ReplyDeleteI've yet to ever see a hornworm in my garden. I'm not holding my breath though, I know it's only a matter of time. I've also never seen a parasitic wasp, are they scary?
Your labels made me laugh. Very cute. I share your opinions of bugs. I'm starting to learn to live with them, but mostly, I still hate them.
Cool pics. I've never seen the entire process before (mostly because I pick the caterpillars off my plants and throw them into the woods whenever I ses them).
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who asked me what these things were on her tomato plants. When I explained it to her, she was completely grossed out; I think it was a factor in her trying to grow some of her own food for only one year. On the other hand, it's a sad commentary on how far most people have gotten from their food and what's involved in brining that tomato to your plate...