I'm sure I'm the only person you know that's upset by a tomato hornworm being killed by beneficial wasps.
Death comes slow as the larvae of the wasp consume the caterpillar from the inside. Once finished and ready to morph into wasps, they open the little hatch on top of their cocoon and exit.
Since my garden is mostly a night garden, I have lots of nicotiana, something the tomato hornworm likes as much as tomato plants. Although I have a good portion of tomatoes in there, just in case they want that too. Why do I like them?! For entertainment, purely entertainment. At night they fly around, fast as fast can be, almost impossible to photograph. But, I finally managed to get a decent photograph, here is the adult tomato hornworm or Manduca quinquemaculata.
With August almost over, the night garden has gone into overload. By 10 at night, it's like a drunken party, every plant and it's pollinator are in the initial stages of inebriation. The air is full of glorious fragrances, enough so that an exit out of my house is like entering paradise. Last night was so incredibly glorious with a full moon and moonvine blooming in countless numbers. This morning it's like the morning after, blossoms to pick and clean-up, it was a crazy night on the town (in the garden).
And tonight it begins again, oh glorious summer!
Party at Karen's! Dark thirty-be there!!
Posted by: Joy B | 08/29/2015 at 10:47 AM
Absolutely, bring it on! BYOB
Posted by: Karen | 08/29/2015 at 10:52 AM
The fragrance must be glorious. I don't like to see the caterpillars parasitized either. It makes me very sad.
Posted by: Mona Miller | 08/29/2015 at 01:32 PM
Hi Karen--like you I have a hard time accepting some of the real world (nature) in action. You were brave to be able to photograph it!
Posted by: mary brownstein | 08/29/2015 at 05:24 PM
I had never actually seen the little cocoons open at the top. Very interesting stuff.
Posted by: Karen | 08/29/2015 at 10:19 PM