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Caterpillar/ larvae ish body with amazing tiny white pods hanging off. Several small cilia-like projections that appear to be it's mouth!
Found on the vine of a tomato plant.
I am simply amazed at this creation! I have never seen anything like it. Hope your experienced eyes can identify it.
Spotted on Sep 21, 2014
Submitted on Sep 22, 2014
3 Comments
This looks like a Carolina Sphinx (Tobacco Hornworm), Manduca sexta, with a braconid wasp infestation. M. sexta usually has seven diagonal lines on the sides ("up to seven oblique whitish lateral lines"), vs. M. quinquemaculata which has eight V shaped stripes. http://bugguide.net/node/view/3244
The caterpillar's three pair of thoracic legs are white. This caterpillar is in a defensive or resting position holding its legs together near the head. Unfortunately for this caterpillar, it will not survive to become a moth.
Yay! Thank you so very much! Quite interesting!
Moved to the Arthropods category. :-)