Question From: d. wheeler - FLORIDA
Q: do horn worms damage penta's I noticed one on the leaf and have you ever seen a cacoon that resembles a petrified butterfly. I thought it was a leaf then I looked closer and saw a body that looked like brownish with wings and tenticals wrapped around my milkweed stem. in two days everything was gone. Should I let the horn worm be or get rid of it?
A:
The horn worm feed on tomatos, peppers and potatoes. they morph into very cool Sphinx moths some call hummingbird moths. Because I love my maters I dispatch them in soapy water. I saw two moths this week, so my dastardly deed did not rid me of them. Milkweed is the host to Monarch butterflies. You probably saw a hatching in progress. Best and Happy Yardening, Nancy.
