So after spending the weekend supervising my 16 yr old son and hubby on where (and how) to dig holes to plant the native trees I just brought home, I never did get to writing that post...because I was distracted by these Hornworms...on my Lonicera sempervirens:
I've been keeping an eye out for Hornworms on my tomato plants for years, but never did have to deal with them there (knock on wood). But when I saw them on my native honeysuckle, I thought about getting rid of them. All I'd heard was they were bad...very, very bad.
I vaguely remembered that the cool hummingbird moths that I've enjoyed for several years came from something similar, maybe a Hornworm like this one? I'm not sure...but if that's the case, then they just can't be 'all bad'.
A little Google-searching led me to realize that, yes, Hornworm's can be found on native Honeysuckle and yes, it serves as a host plant for them.
While photographing the Hornworm I noticed clusters of berries on the Lonicera sempervirens. I'm sure the birds will soon enjoy these!
Oh, sorry. Back to the Hornworms!
I'm pretty sure these guys will morph into Hummingbird Clearwing or Snowberry Clearwing moths. Hopefully they won't completely defoliate my Lonicera sempervirens in the process...but even if they do, it will all be fine because the plant won't die and there will be flowers next summer.
So what I'm really trying to say is this: the Clearwing moths are cool (click here to view photos of a Hummingbird Clearwing I captured a couple of years ago)...and, I'm cool with it.
Eat away, Hornworms!
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Facts to remember: The tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) becomes the Five-Spotted Hawkmoth--if you don't kill it first (!) and the tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) becomes the Carolina Sphinx moth. The hornworm on the native honeysuckle can either be Hemaris diffinis (Snowberry Clearwing) or Hemaris thysbe (Hummingbird Clearwing) moth...not 100% sure which this is, but it's definitely one of the Clearwings. |
What gifts have you discovered today?
Until next time,
Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/
Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.
