I’ve been waiting to use these photos snapped a couple of weeks ago. I am fascinated by hummingbird moth caterpillars ( also known as hornworms or tomato hornworms) and in spite of the fact that I’ve been taking photos of their different stages for 16 years, I’ve still never seen a moth! Unfortunately, these fellows make a terrific mess on my patio table or I’d leave them alone. You can see the large brown pellets they leave in two of the photos, and caterpillar poop on my patio table is just not a pleasant prospect. As it is, Pasiano goes on a Virginia creeper safari whenever we see evidence of them, then puts them down on the lot below me. I even found one myself this year! They are outer space-looking, don’t you agree? They are all different stages of the same caterpillar. Click first photo to enlarge all. You won’t be sorry. They are fascinating creatures.
(Click on first photo to create a slide series, then click on right side of each photo to go on to the next. All will be enlarged.)
For the Insect challenge.
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 
What a fascinating creature! I was going to ask how many caterpillars, but then went back to see that you said this is only one animal (or did you mean that these photos are all of the same type of insect?) You must be able to hear their humming, even if you haven’t ever seen the moth ~ ~ ~
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These are larval stages of the moth. They eventually form a cocoon and turn into the moths which have a very long tongue and hover–just like a hummingbird, but although dozens of caterpillars frequent by Virgina Creeper vines every year, I’ve still never seen the moth. Perhaps because we remove them all, but we don’t kill them, just move them.
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Are there lots of them, like Marilyn’s caterpillars, or just a few? They really are interesting — and what adaptation!
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Just a couple of dozen per year, but it is quite a trick to find them. They blend in well even though they are large. When they are green, they are impossible to spot.
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Sort of.similar to tomato worms, when they are green? I’m glad there aren’t as many as Marilyn’s
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They actually are the same thing. Sometimes called hornworms, sometimes tomato worms. They turn into a moth that people mistake for a hummingbird and so call them hummingbird moths!
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Not at all as many as Marilyn’s.
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Whew!
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Wow, what an interesting caterpillar! Pretty too. But BIG poops 😦
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Yes Ma’am. The Elvis of caterpillars!!!
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To their detriment as they give them away. If it weren’t for the poops, I’d let them be as I can spare the leaves.
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These are amazing pictures.
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Thanks, Miriam.
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Beautiful shots. I have only seen the moth, never the caterpillar.
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I’ve never seen such a thing — an intriguing caterpillar for sure. But please keep them there. I’ll take a closer look if I ever visit. 😉
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Better come in August if you want to see them!
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Amazing photos!
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I just had to reveal all the parts. It’s difficult to tell the front from the back, actually, as the anus has claws that look like teeth. Bet you were dying to know that.
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You know it! Feeling very educated.
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Wow! They’re amazing, My husband thought he saw a hummingbird moth fly past him a few weeks back but couldn’t be sure, and if he did it’s the first spotted round these parts (we’re in Wales, UK), and now you’ve shown how the caterpillars can look I’m going to be looking out for similar ones in our garden!
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They love tomato plants and Virginia creeper. Look for their scat. Easy way to see if they are there.
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Mmm… will do. I think, also, I’ll bookmark your post to remind myself.
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In flight, they really LOOK like hummingbirds. I thought they WERE hummingbirds until I noticed they had six legs! They also suck the sap from flowers like hummingbirds, so they hover.
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When you see them still with their “tongues” in, they don’t, but in motion they do. I may have glimpsed one once but have seen videos of them and hope to see one again. There is one in the vine not over my table that I am not relocating. Maybe it will come back to visit. Have you seen “The Lunch Box?” If so, what do you make of the ending? A lovely film.
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Great pictures!
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Thanks, Reb.
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Goodness, what a beastie! We get hummingbird hawk moths in the garden regularly in the summer, but never seen one of their caterpillars.
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They go through so many changes. It is fascinating and I look forward to their arrival each year both with excitement and some dread… But, that said, I cannot kill them. I just relocate them. Once my gardener sprayed one, not by my instruction. I found it all shriveled up and sprayed it with acid water which is a byproduct of my alkaline water machine… and it came totally back , hydrated, and crawled away. It was a little miracle. I’d read how hospitals in Canada use it on cancer and burn victims. I’ve used it on people who have been stung by jellyfish and manta rays and it works for that, also… and for hummingbird mother caterpillars!!! I showed before and after photos of it on my blog if you crave proof.
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What is their food plant where you are?
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