White-lined Sphinx Moth
Tomato or Tobacco? Or something completely different?
I found this big fellow in the garden on my Missouri Evening Primrose munching away the afternoon. At first, I thought he might be a tomato hornworm, but they are striped not spotted. I found it difficult not to be impressed by the sheer size of him.
Turns out he is Hyles lineata, commonly known as the hummingbird moth. They do list tomatoes as a host plant for this particular moth, but I love watching this amazing birdlike moths fluttering around my flowers.
While I was on the hunt, I found this interesting video on identifying tomato and tobacco hornworms.
The hungry caterpillar had at work.
Not all hornworms are alike.
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