tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post7107474682663218014..comments2024-03-28T06:48:42.379-05:00Comments on MrBrownThumb: Tomato Hornworms and Parasitic WaspsMrBrownThumbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-84632118595142052832016-10-16T17:37:54.423-05:002016-10-16T17:37:54.423-05:00Super information! People need to know these thing...Super information! People need to know these things before condemning a life! Be it ugly or beautiful! Eye of the beholder I guess! Anyway, thanks for the comment. I know where I stand and always have! Let live what can! We forget sometimes, the gifts of life!Sqweeqnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-13814812678799599852016-10-16T17:29:39.760-05:002016-10-16T17:29:39.760-05:00If I knew how to post a pic! You could see the aut...If I knew how to post a pic! You could see the autopsy results! Trying to not be gruesome! Just insight for other with interest!Sqweeqnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-25610417914845204262016-10-16T17:23:51.658-05:002016-10-16T17:23:51.658-05:00I too, tried saving and bringing to moth-hood! The...I too, tried saving and bringing to moth-hood! The one I found looked really healthy, but, as you said; it already had cocoons from wasps( only like 20). I thought I will save this little one! You could see where he was injected, and i thought he might beat the little damage! Wiped off! Than set up a spot outside protected from danger with its own little tomato plant! The next day he was slow! AND, 2 little larvae were emerging from his skin! As I watched one completed emerging! Fluid kept flowing from the exit wound, like 1 hour! He just curled up in agony and fear i bet! Then an hour later the next! It was horrible! I took a hammer and smashed his head and shoulders to nothing in 4 fast blows 2 seconds flat! Then I struggled with my self the horror I had just accounted for! I killed it! But did he, or would he suffer without my interference? I did an autopsy! "I MUST BE NUTS, I KNOW!" But I had to know! Glad I did this guy was doomed from before I got to him! Poor thing had larvae everywhere that a pocket of fluid existed, outside looked fine, insides surrounded! If anyone reading this has a heart or a soul, take these poor victims out of their misery, they would beg you to if they could! Horrible life inheritance-sentence! Horrible! If there is a hell, they live it!Sqweeqnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-88423210573862212492014-09-18T07:51:31.821-05:002014-09-18T07:51:31.821-05:00I have read that there are not many hornworms left...I have read that there are not many hornworms left but never seen they are endangered though, good! I just think raising them on only the leaves of your plants, if it doesnt kill your plant is good because they are good pollenators and we need pollenators since honey bees are dying out more. Makes great science projects and looks beautiful. Id rather fight with a moth than a bee ANY day. Im trying to raise one but it has wasps. Wiped off but dont know if it will live. Me and my son will be so sad if it dies.<br />AshleyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-6354656547067592732013-12-18T10:13:04.791-06:002013-12-18T10:13:04.791-06:00I like your approach to seeing bugs. They happen s...I like your approach to seeing bugs. They happen so might as well accept them rather than freak out. It's a lot easier to deal with them that way when coming from a point of acceptance.Kivahttp://www.greenhousegnome.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-91276706114959159472013-10-31T10:24:32.285-05:002013-10-31T10:24:32.285-05:00Most people that I know who have both gardens and ...Most people that I know who have both gardens and chickens feed their hornworms to their chickens. I usually just let me kids play with them. They usually forget to feed them and take care of them - so the hornworms end up dieing from neglect. If there are too many hornworms then I throw them against a block wall that is right next to my winter garden. They make a very nice soil ammendment. (=Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12461600014446853297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-50683964614110807182013-10-22T22:57:54.337-05:002013-10-22T22:57:54.337-05:00Hi Matt, That's an interesting and thought-pro...Hi Matt, That's an interesting and thought-provoking perspective that you've shared. I wish I had spotted the comment earlier. I hope others who come across this posting scroll down and read what you have to say. Thanks for sharing. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-73635138293505794942013-10-22T22:56:23.063-05:002013-10-22T22:56:23.063-05:00Stiletto, It is rather creepy isn't it? I wond...Stiletto, It is rather creepy isn't it? I wonder how many boys we could turn into gardeners if we exposed them to the creepy and crawling things in the garden instead of trying to make them appreciate flowers? I know if I was a kid I'd be all about the bug wars that happen in such tiny spaces. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-34176991414439922972013-10-22T22:54:52.260-05:002013-10-22T22:54:52.260-05:00Paul, yeah, the moths are really cool. I've on...Paul, yeah, the moths are really cool. I've only seen the adults in my garden once, but I can appreciate them. Unfortunately, I only grow a small amount of tomatoes for a seed bank that I founded so I need to harvest every fruit I can. Otherwise I'd let them stay around and get pictures of the moths for a blog post. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-75850921324154875762013-10-22T22:53:17.512-05:002013-10-22T22:53:17.512-05:00Lily, I totally agree with you. Lily, I totally agree with you. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-44472957280363315422013-10-22T22:52:56.045-05:002013-10-22T22:52:56.045-05:00Maurice, Don't be afraid of parasitic wasps, t...Maurice, Don't be afraid of parasitic wasps, they're your friends in the garden. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-56471234939377454782013-10-22T22:51:44.076-05:002013-10-22T22:51:44.076-05:00Garden Walk, LOL. Well, these are the lengths I...Garden Walk, LOL. Well, these are the lengths I'll go to for a semi-fun and informative blog post :0) MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-39967803131825993662013-10-22T22:50:43.513-05:002013-10-22T22:50:43.513-05:00Thanks for backing up what Tony suggested. I'l...Thanks for backing up what Tony suggested. I'll give it a try next year and see if it works for me too. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-84505441758260737312013-10-22T22:50:00.197-05:002013-10-22T22:50:00.197-05:00Tony, Thanks for the tip on planting borage with y...Tony, Thanks for the tip on planting borage with your tomatoes to keep the hornworms at bay. I hadn't ever thought about that, but I'll give it a try next year. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-60207859507534319692013-10-22T22:49:05.948-05:002013-10-22T22:49:05.948-05:00Thanks Love, Live and Garden! Thanks Love, Live and Garden! MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-11432079381540138902013-10-22T22:48:44.025-05:002013-10-22T22:48:44.025-05:00Walk2Write, Are you still in Florida? I shudder at...Walk2Write, Are you still in Florida? I shudder at the size of the some of the garden bugs I've seen online in your neck of the woods. But yeah, the moths are pretty aren't they? The first time I saw one in my garden I thought they were hummingbirds. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-82949754542616068672013-10-22T22:47:23.822-05:002013-10-22T22:47:23.822-05:00Ellen, Thanks for chiming in here and sharing your...Ellen, Thanks for chiming in here and sharing your experience with feeding hornworms to your hens! MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-8159622664819662102013-10-22T22:46:20.138-05:002013-10-22T22:46:20.138-05:00Enzie,
I bet they wasps find them in there too. S...Enzie,<br /><br />I bet they wasps find them in there too. So it sounds like a great way to deal with hornworms in my book. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-9317799311506853782013-10-22T22:45:30.446-05:002013-10-22T22:45:30.446-05:00Sandy, Gardening is a grim business. Wasps are onl...Sandy, Gardening is a grim business. Wasps are only our friends when they're killing off pests. Otherwise they're mean bee-impersonating, territorial bullies in my garden. :0)MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-20784351055193225952013-10-22T22:43:25.788-05:002013-10-22T22:43:25.788-05:00Botias, Yeah, killing off that pretty moth is the ...Botias, Yeah, killing off that pretty moth is the only thing that give me pause when letting the hornworms get eaten up. I'm glad someone else can appreciate them too. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-42972718910534131872013-10-22T22:42:18.245-05:002013-10-22T22:42:18.245-05:00Eileen, LOL. I know what you mean about hornworms ...Eileen, LOL. I know what you mean about hornworms looking frightening. I've been sitting in the porch garden many a time and have caught one inching along a tomato plant out of the corner of my eye and needed a change of shorts. They're so disgusting-looking. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-72401503760511948572013-10-22T22:40:54.499-05:002013-10-22T22:40:54.499-05:00I have that same live and let live philosophy with...I have that same live and let live philosophy with a lot of garden pests in my garden. They don't get hunted down unless they're doing something really bad. In this case, they are messing with a tomato I use to grow a seed bank so every plant and fruit counts. :0)MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-13085013876850931292013-10-22T22:39:40.050-05:002013-10-22T22:39:40.050-05:00You know, it took a number of years of me growing ...You know, it took a number of years of me growing tomatoes in my garden before I ever got a single hornworm. I don't know what took them so long, but now I wonder what other kinds of garden pests have yet to make an appearance in my garden. MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-63395933710657475952013-10-22T22:38:37.506-05:002013-10-22T22:38:37.506-05:00Paul, Thanks for adding such interesting, informat...Paul, Thanks for adding such interesting, information to how the wasps parasitize the caterpillar. I really appreciate it! MrBrownThumbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11326733084344581944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14573299.post-875220187326480272013-09-25T22:17:03.019-05:002013-09-25T22:17:03.019-05:00We may not like Tomato Hornworms, but these parasi...We may not like Tomato Hornworms, but these parasitic wasps are unfortunately causing much more damage than we think. They are devastatingly invasive, rendering pupae of 90% of all related Hawk Moth relatives - Luna moths, Polyphemus, and most other Hawk Moth species in North America. many native orchid species are becoming endangered due to the decline of Hawk Moth species, particularly the long-Tounged hawk moth. Last year I collected 300 pupae in the winter, and only 2 had viable larvae in it. Hey, I love my tomatoes, and even though this particular species only pollinates solanum, I can't help but be concerned about the realities of overpopulation and more parasitic wasps and fewer sphinx moths. I also love my Ichneumon wasps, but keeping the natural balance is essential if we ever want to experience the annual June emergence of the more magnificent larger moths. I just want to remind people who live in cities and garden, that sometimes, things are not always as they seem, and that even a city garden is part of nature, and the natural cycle of life. Perhaps introducing our non-native solanum species is the problem?Matt Mattushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12304130532778622628noreply@blogger.com