Tobacco Hornworm ~ Manduca Sexta

This is a tobacco hornworm, the caterpillar of the Carolina sphinx moth, which is also known as the tobacco hawk moth. This one is a victim of a braconid wasp that has laid its eggs IN the caterpillar and now the eggs have hatched and the white things are the cocoons of the pupating wasps. I have always commonly called these caterpillars "tomato hornworms" but actually the tomato hornworm is a very similar but different creature. In either case, they eat the heck out of tomato plants, so it is basically cause for celebration when the wasp does its thing. Still, I do feel a bit badly about it. Poor caterpillar! It is doomed.

Today has been rainy off and on. I got this photo rather quickly and not overly clearly with my phone while in the vegetable garden briefly.