Moe is a Hawk Moth now!!!

[Beman]

The first week of March I had a huge hornworm that I ended up naming Moe. Since he became far too big for Beman over night I figured I would just try to get him to pupate. So he turned into a pupa around March 10th. I though for sure I killed him because it is only supposed to take like 20 days for them to emerge. But I just left him in the container hoping he would come out. Tonight I kept hearing something scratching. So I opened the bug cabinet and there Moe was. He must have just come out because I checked him earlier today and there was no sign.

This is by far one of the coolest things I have ever seen. So now he is hanging out on his fake tree in a large plastic tub. I put some sugar water in a dish with cotton balls for him. I can't wait to see what he looks like when his wings dry out.

 

[Beman]

Oh his wings are already opening!!!!! He is sooo cool looking!

 

[GoodKarma19]

Awe! I really like hawkmoths... such cute little fellas!

 

[Beman]

Awe! I really like hawkmoths... such cute little fellas!

I think it is absolutely miraculous that they go from horn worms to pupa to beautiful little creatures. It Is a neat thing to witness

 

[krikinit]

That awesome!! Is it true they only breed with tomato plants present?

 

[Beman]

That awesome!! Is it true they only breed with tomato plants present?

I have no clue lol. I know they will drink nectar from all kinds of flowers which actually cross pollinates like Bees do. So I think that’s pretty neat. They are nocturnal as well.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

That awesome!! Is it true they only breed with tomato plants present?

No.

 

[Beman]

No.

Brodyyyyyyyy look how neat he is!!!!

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Beman is thinking the same thing, drooling over there.

Shouldn’t you be in bed?

 

[GoodKarma19]

Sleep is for the weak!!

 

[Beman]

No sleep I’m watching Moe!

 

[Rst_Cham]

That's so cool! Why haven't mine emerged yet?! Lol I checked the pupaes and they're still alive!

 

[Chameleomom]

Way cool. I will have to try that with a hornworm. I have only done this with a few silk worms and the silk moths emerging. Blueberry loved the worms and the moths

 

[JoXie411]

Haha I was just thinking about mod the other day. You did better then me. All my moth wings didn’t grow right

 

[JIFFYPOP]

Dumb question, but is he still food?? lol

 

[GodricktheVeiled]

This is so cool!! I put my humongous hornworms in my compost pile outside and let them eat to their hearts content...I keep hoping to find their pupae hanging out somewhere nearby

 

[Thehippie]

congrats to Moe!!! I had forgotten about him til I saw this post, now I'm beyond excited about it!!

 

[CamrynTheCham22]

Wow! That's so interesting. Moths are just fluffy little butterflies of the night

 

[Daesie11]

Is naming him Moe supposed to be a pun??? Moe-hawk???

 

[Beman]

That's so cool! Why haven't mine emerged yet?! Lol I checked the pupaes and they're still alive!

Well it took Moe 40 days.... Maybe with proper heat they emerge faster... I know the site I found with info said it took 19-23 days. I just had him in my bug cabinet in his container.