Insects
Beneficial insects at work! Under this white mass is a hornworm that
eats papaya leaves. A wasp lays its eggs under the hornworm's skin. When
the wasp larvae emerge from their eggs, they FEED on the still living
hornworm (what a way to die). When the wasps mature, they eat through
the skin and spin their cocoons around the hornworm and the hornworm
then dies. This guy (bottom photo) was still moving when we shot the
photo but there were many others with an empty hole (top photo) where
the hornworm was.
Here is a 20 second video of one: https://youtu.be/d-hYxruNU34
Papaya Insects: Here is the culprit
From the last newsletter, here is a hornworm that has not been attacked yet. At least I couldn't see that he had been. Pointy tail and an "eye" that shows when he bends his head. Found him hanging upside down from a papaya leaf. He held on so tight so I had to remove the entire leaf to get this photo!
Here is a 20 second video of one: https://youtu.be/d-hYxruNU34
Insects
Papaya Insects: Here is the culprit
From the last newsletter, here is a hornworm that has not been attacked yet. At least I couldn't see that he had been. Pointy tail and an "eye" that shows when he bends his head. Found him hanging upside down from a papaya leaf. He held on so tight so I had to remove the entire leaf to get this photo!
