This is the time of year tomatoes are typically started by seed in our home. Many more are planted than we can use with the hopes of sharing them with a usually undesirable pest: the tomato hornworm, known as the Five-Spotted Hawk Moth in its adult stage.These moths, part of the Spingidae family, have a wing-span of 4-5 inches. They are commonly called "hummingbird", "hawk", or sphinx" moths.
It's hard to believe, but I only ever remember seeing one of these my whole entire life. My mother would find them on our tomato plants and squish them before I could ever see--and rescue--them. The one pictured here is one that was found on a potted tomato plant of ours several years ago in IL.
We overwintered this little guy in a pot of soil on our front porch, and sadly, he never emerged. --LKR
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