Summary
"Today's column in the Free Press about bugs has inspired me to send you the attached pictures. This 'beast' was marching across the bricks on my daughter's patio. Although it's not exactly the right colour, I thought it might be a tomato hornworm. They have tomato plants and lots of pepper plants in pots and plots in their little back yard. She says it was actually longer than it looks in the photo (taken with) a cell phone -- it kind of pulled back into itself when they put the phone down beside it. Any thoughts you might have would be welcome. (And if you can prove me right, I'll be happy!)"
Your "beastie" little bug is indeed a hornworm. Actually they are among the largest caterpillars in North America. They are voracious eaters, feeding on the leaves of tomato and pepper plants, in particular. As they mature, they go through light and dark stages, and it's interesting to note that its "horns" are actually on the hind end. While it's tempting to squish these ugly-looking caterpillars, these little creatures spend their adulthood as spectacular sphinx moths. I watched one feeding on the nectar of my lilac blossoms one year at dusk and, for a few minutes, thought it was a hummingbird. (In fact, hummingbird moth is another common name for them.) Their large bodies can have wing spans of up to 10 centimetres. Their rapid wing beats allow them to hover and feed in the manner of hummingbirds. As they usually feed at night, many gardeners aren't that familiar with these beautiful adult moths, which can be useful plant pollinators. Hornworms aren't usually a big problem in gardens, but in some areas can be a true pest if present in great numbers. If you find some devouring your tomato plants, just pick them off.See the full content of this document
Extract
A Gardener Without a Garden
Move from house to high-rise means so long, backyard...hello balcony
Linda Stilkowski / The Prairie GardenerLATELY, the gardening column has been absent on the occasional Tuesday, and noticeably so in the last month or so. For those readers that have missed it, I owe you an expla...See the full content of this document
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