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Tobacco Hornworm

Manduca sexta

Photo by SteveJones
Published on Project Noah
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34.056, -84.1959

Field Notes

Description:

Green caterpillar. Burrowing into the ground. It was about the size of a finger. It appeared to be spinning around and around, as you can see from the dirt around it.

Habitat:

Red clay.

Notes:

My students saw this on the playground. Any idea?

Species ID Suggestions

Tobacco Hornworm

Manduca sexta

Comments (1)

Typically, when you see a caterpillar on the ground, it's either been knocked out of its host plant or is on its way to pupate. Since it's a caterpillar of good size and it's late summer, this one was most certainly trying to find a good place to make its cocoon so it could pupate and transform into an adult (moth). I've moved this one over to Arthropods for you.
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 4, 2013

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