Oooey Gooey Worm

 Mom said that she was 

glad that I can't get out in 

the yard!

WHY?

Because she said she would

freak if I brought one of

these worms in the house!

This is a Tomato Hornworm.

Mom went out to check on 

the last of her cherry

tomato's and found what was

eating on them.

Then freaked more when she

saw another one. 

She did not know what the oval

things on it were so she posted

on FB and asked a friend of hers.

She sent mom a link to read

about it.

Mom found that the oval thingys

are larvae of the braconid wasp.

Larvae that hatch from the wasp’s eggs, which are laid under the skin of  the hornworm, feed on the inside of the hornworm until the wasp is ready to pupate. Such “host” hornworms should be left in the garden in order to conserve the beneficial parasites. The wasps will kill the hornworms when they emerge from their cocoons.

At the end of the article mom was reading it said that if you see one on your tomato vines it means your garden is ecologically balanced, thanks to your non-use of pesticides.

No wonder mom's flowerbed did so well....

its ecologically balanced!

As for the worms, they have not moved

in several days. Mom poked one with a stick and it moved some. 

Just now Mom was wondering if these worms become butterflies...and they do. They become Hummingbird moths, USUALLY...in this case since the wasp have laid the larvae on these, they will not produce a moth. 

Mom said CRAP

when she read that.

Mom is glad that she takes so many pics cause she took the one below on 

August 15th, a Hummingbird moth.

That answered Mom's question on where did the worms come from.

Interesting...

wonder how they taste?

Mom wanted me to share this poem with you. She taught this poem to her kids when they were little.

Oooey gooey was a worm
And a mighty worm was he
He sat upon a railroad track
And a train he did not see,
Oooey Gooey!

Lily Bit