I knew they would show up eventually. I was watering my tomato plants when I saw that one looked a bit chewed. Examining more closely, I saw this- entire branches of fresh, new growth partially denuded. I knew of only one local foe of tomatoes that destructive- the larva of the Carolina Sphinx moth, otherwise known as the tobacco hornworm. The tomato hornworm is a relative that is equally destructive, and they look a lot alike.
You can read about them at http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/butterflies/sphinx/sphinx.htm#carolina.
It is a large and pretty moth (you can mistake it for a hummingbird or a small bat), that has large and ugly offspring. 
This is in a pint jar. The caterpillar is as big around as my thumb, and as long as my index finger. Its head is not shown, but that red tail spike (black in the tomato hornworm) is an identifying mark. The best thing to do is to inspect your plants regularly, and pick them off. If you have birds or chickens big enough to handle eating them, feed them to your animals. Otherwise find a way to kill them before they skeletonize your rich tomato dreams.
This is in a pint jar. The caterpillar is as big around as my thumb, and as long as my index finger. Its head is not shown, but that red tail spike (black in the tomato hornworm) is an identifying mark. The best thing to do is to inspect your plants regularly, and pick them off. If you have birds or chickens big enough to handle eating them, feed them to your animals. Otherwise find a way to kill them before they skeletonize your rich tomato dreams.
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