Subject: What is this funky thing?!
Location: Eatonton, GA
April 7, 2016 7:15 am
Hey there! We are on our 5th grade camping trip at the Rock Eagle 4H Center in Eatonton, GA. While tilling soil, one of our leaders stumbled upon this little guy. It was found in a garden and was excreting a yellow liquid as she was holding it. Can you help out my 5th graders and our staffers??
Signature: Bugged Student Teacher
Dear Bugged Student Teacher,
This is a pupa of a Sphinx Moth from the genus Manduca, and two species, the Carolina Sphinx and the Five Spotted Hawkmoth, both have caterpillars, known as Hornworms, that feed on the leaves of cultivated tomatoes and related plants. We suspect it was excreting a yellow liquid because it was damaged when it was discovered. It does appear to have a mortal wound in the image.