Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i was wondering what else hornworms could in eat including hatchling hornworms so that they are not toxic to the chameleon also what will i need to feed the moth/butterflies. thanks alot

They will eat bell pepper, and make sure if you're catching these that you feed them something for a few days besides the tomato plants they were probably on because these are toxic to chams. That will clean them out.

the ones i am using are not wild caught so that is no problem but is there anything else they can eat i figure they can eat lettuce or kale if they eat tomatoes and tobbacco leaves i just hope they are not toxic when they do that

Tomato, tobacco, potato, peppers are all in the Solanacae family. Kale is in the Brassicaceae and Lettuce in the Asteraceae. Most hornworms are "host specific" meaning that they will feed on only one plant or one plant family. The Tomato Manduca quin quemaculata and Tobacco M. sexta hornworms are host specific. The upshot is, they will not eat lettuce, kale or any other food not in the Solanacae family (and some are more specific with that family)

You had also asked about feeding adults - be forewarned - they have to hover when they feed! Sphinx moths proboscis (mouth part) is 2 - 2.5 times the length of their body and cannot/do not "perch" while feeding, they hover like butterflies. They feed on nectar, feed at night and must hover. I hand fed a crippled one (couldn't fly, therefore could not eat) for 4 days and I'll tell you, it was quite a feat!

As usual, I am sure this is more science than you need/want to know...

lele

>>the ones i am using are not wild caught so that is no problem but is there anything else they can eat i figure they can eat lettuce or kale if they eat tomatoes and tobbacco leaves i just hope they are not toxic when they do that

They will eat bell pepper, and make sure if you're catching these that you feed them something for a few days besides the tomato plants they were probably on because these are toxic to chams. That will clean them out.

Tomato hornworms overwinter in the pupal stage. Adult moths appear in late spring (feed on flower nectar) and lay eggs that hatch in about a week. Larvae (worms) feed on foliage (tomato, eggplant and pepper) for about a month before they enter the soil and pupate to start another cycle.

If you intend to raise them, you need to feed them something other than tomato plants - which are extrememly toxic to many animals. The safest food for these ravenous worms is petunias - or commercial food.

Hope this helps,
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Petunia is also in the Solanaceae family and has some level of toxicity (every plant in this family does but at varying levels). The Manduca spp (tomato and tobacco hornworm) will only eat members of this family and that is why they will eat petunia. Some producers of the artificial foods use extract and/ot food plant itself, but the processing breaks it down (simply put - I know I can go into science overdrive sometimes )

lele

>>Tomato hornworms overwinter in the pupal stage. Adult moths appear in late spring (feed on flower nectar) and lay eggs that hatch in about a week. Larvae (worms) feed on foliage (tomato, eggplant and pepper) for about a month before they enter the soil and pupate to start another cycle.
>>
>>If you intend to raise them, you need to feed them something other than tomato plants - which are extrememly toxic to many animals. The safest food for these ravenous worms is petunias - or commercial food.
>>
>>Hope this helps,
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>>

Solanaceae Family

>>Petunia is also in the Solanaceae family and has some level of toxicity (every plant in this family does but at varying levels). The Manduca spp (tomato and tobacco hornworm) will only eat members of this family and that is why they will eat petunia. Some producers of the artificial foods use extract and/ot food plant itself, but the processing breaks it down (simply put - I know I can go into science overdrive sometimes )
>>
>>lele

It's good to have you around to give us this "scientific stuff". I knew there must be a good reason I was sacrificing my petunias to those worms... *LOL*

From what I have been told the petunia is very mild in toxic levels - especially the flowers, which they eat first (of course). I hope this info was correct....

Input...??
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