Congrats! They are my favorite out of all the caterpillars, butterflies, and moths! I was lucky enough to have 2 this year make it all the way to the moth stage. Normally I find the hornworms after they have been parasitized and it's always so heartbreaking to check in on them and find those wasp larvae! :( This year the 2 I found were itty bitty babies and all was well. The moths are so beautiful!

Thank you, mytabbycat. I get so sick and tired of all the propaganda against the Manduca sphingids, when careful gardening measures, such as either simply growing EXTRA tomato plants, allowing related "weeds" to grow as a barrier/trap or even just thinning out by culling all surplus hornworms [if there's too many] will provide safe, reasonable habitat for both man and insect.

I totally disagree with the ploy to never kill a parasitized larva. The parasites need control, too. While the gardening magazines only push the pics of braconid cocoon-covered hornworms, the ugly truth is, they go after any and all butterflies and other moths. They are NOT specific to sphingids!

Keep searching for the smallest of hornworms, rear indoors, release the moths! You are helping conserve our beautiful sphinx moths!