Garden Visitors

You're going to have to click on this to see it better. What you will find is a hummingbird clearwing moth along with some sort of bee nectaring on phlox. Enjoy! --LKR

Tomato Hornworm

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

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

This little hummingbird clearwing moth has been feasting on our flowers. They just love our phlox and monarda (aka: bee balm, oswego tea, bergamot). I'm always so thrilled to see them!

Their larvae (caterpillars) feed on host plants such as cherry and plum trees, honeysuckle, hawthorns, snowberry, and cranberry bushes. --LKR