Black hornworm

[maryanne27]

I opened up my hornworm cup to put some lunch in for Olivander, and I found that one hornworm was black. I assumed it was dead, but it is very much alive. I have never seen one like this! Kinda strange..... Is it safe to feed the others to my cham?

 

[brownie64]

Wow that is weird. I myself wouldn't if there is a question why chance it is always been my motto.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

It's a color mutation most likely. Otherwise, the worm wouldn't be eating and moving.

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/photo.php?id=113780

I've also seen a pic of a black hormworm being fed to a chameleon on a chameleon breeder page on Facebook once.... I'm skimming through a lot of breeder pages that I know off the top of my head trying to find it for you. It was on a breeder's Facebook page under a Halloween category in their albums...... if only I could find it....

What color is the horn? I can't see the horn on the black worm.... The above shows a mutation of a tobacco hornworm, as you can see both horns on both worms are red, an indication of a tobacco hornworm.

https://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms-hornworm/

That will show you a black tomato hornworm, with a blackish/blueish horn instead of red, an indication of a tomato hornworm. Tomato hornworms are typically green, just like the tobacco hornworms. Sometimes a mutation in either kind will cause them to turn black though.

https://entomologytoday.org/2013/12...ference-between-tomato-and-tobacco-hornworms/

 

[JaniP]

Interesting - I've never seen that. It may just be a morph but I wouldn't feed it out of sheer paranoia. the $1 I'd save by not wasting the worm isn't worth keeping myself awake at night.

That's pretty cool though.

Maybe you could let him cocoon?

 

[maryanne27]

It's a color mutation most likely. Otherwise, the worm wouldn't be eating and moving.

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/photo.php?id=113780

I've also seen a pic of a black hormworm being fed to a chameleon on a chameleon breeder page on Facebook once.... I'm skimming through a lot of breeder pages that I know off the top of my head trying to find it for you. It was on a breeder's Facebook page under a Halloween category in their albums...... if only I could find it....

What color is the horn? I can't see the horn on the black worm.... The above shows a mutation of a tobacco hornworm, as you can see both horns on both worms are red, an indication of a tobacco hornworm.

https://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms-hornworm/

That will show you a black tomato hornworm, with a blackish/blueish horn instead of red, an indication of a tomato hornworm. Tomato hornworms are typically green, just like the tobacco hornworms. Sometimes a mutation in either kind will cause them to turn black though.

https://entomologytoday.org/2013/12...ference-between-tomato-and-tobacco-hornworms/

Cool! I think the horn was red like the others. I didn't notice it when I got them (I got a cup of babies) so it really too me by surprise finding it today! Thanks for all the great info.

Interesting - I've never seen that. It may just be a morph but I wouldn't feed it out of sheer paranoia. the $1 I'd save by not wasting the worm isn't worth keeping myself awake at night.

That's pretty cool though.

Maybe you could let him cocoon?

I ended up getting rid of it almost right away because I was nervous Hahaha as long as I know it isn't something horrible that infected the others, I'm good! But no mutated moths to be had now... Sorry haha

 

[Craigwyatt]

That's cool. Looks like it's a melanistic. You should keep it. Or give it to a hornworm breeder. In a few years I can see black hornworms for sale.

 

[Spyro]

This is normal. I find them every now and again when I breed my hornworms. It's a color form that they have. Just the green is WAY more common.