Last week I was in the garden and spotted signs of a tomato horn-worm on one of our tomato vines. It took me about a minute or so to find the little critter, they blend with the plant so well. I carefully plucked it off the vine and carried it an acre away to where my husband was doing some yard work. He asked me what I was going to do with it? I told him that since I couldn’t kill it, that I was going to leave it for him to do-away-with (since he’s my official bug/creepy crawler exterminator).
I was surprised when my husband replies, “Oh No, you have to take care of this one yourself.”
I looked down at the huge soft pretty caterpillar that was now trying to figure a way off my purple garden glove. It looked like a pet and I knew I couldn’t kill it.
“Well, what are you going to do with it?” my husband ask with a chuckle.
I announced to my husband, “I’m going to put it back in the garden on the tomato vine.”
He just laughed and said, “I’m not a bit surprised.”
I said, “One little caterpillar couldn’t do any more damage to the garden than the rabbits and deer have.” My husband agreed.
I took it back to the garden and left it hanging on the vine where I plucked it from originally. It was still in its sullen-state but hung there without falling. I took a photo of it and went on with my gardening.
Sunday, my gardening didn’t take long. So, I searched around to see if the tomato horn-worm was still on the tomato vine. Sure enough, I found sign that it had feasted on many many leaves and was still happily munching. It is a beauty. I figure it’ll either eat until it’s ready to cocoon or until a bird or creature eats it. Meanwhile, it’s free to be the best big green caterpillar that it can be. 🙂
Happy Wildlife Wednesday!
Wishing you all a pest free day.
🙂
related post: Wordless Wednesday – Horn Worm – 07/23/2014
Joys Of Creating 
I have a difficult time killing a living creature too. Do those worms sting?
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Hi Dianna
As far as I know, thankfully these worms don’t sting. Now that I think about it, if they did sting, I’d be more apt to squish it. 😉
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You are very generous! I’d have left it far away from the tomato plants – but I only have two plants…
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Thanks Margie
If I had only two plants or if we were more dependent on the garden, I’d of been more apt to have squished it or moved it far away to a field/pasture where it could eat dandelions. 🙂
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LOL You’re a softie, E.C! I couldn’t have killed it, either.
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Thanks Patti
I’m glad I’m not the only softie out here. 🙂
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Oh boy, I’d be hard pressed to leave this fellow with a carte blanche on my tomato vines, but since I don’t have any…I guess I have no right to comment. LOL.
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lol Renee
Nope, I disagree, you have all the rights to comment you want too. I give you carte blanche to comment on anything I post. I enjoy your thoughts and feedback. You makes me smile. 🙂
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I’m afraid he wouldn’t have been so lucky in my garden. They must grow really quickly because I hardly ever see a small one. They do blend in with the stems of the tomato plants.
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Hi Charlotte
You know, I wonder about these hornworms too, I think they must come out of the ground mostly grown. I’ve never seen a small one either. Interesting.
If there was an infestation of these buggers, we’d exterminate them all. However, one is okay. He/she didn’t last but a day or so longer after I took the last photo.
I agree, It’s almost impossible to see them, they do blend in perfectly. 🙂
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