Hornworm cannibals!

[Kiwiflage]

So I keep witnessing these hornworms(on a sliced tomato fruit) keep biting each other. Do they mistake each other for food or are they just aggressive towards one another? I can't imagine it's good for them so how can I get them to stop? Any info helpful! Thank you

 

[Provancha65]

Hornworms are typically aggressive to their counterparts and anything that agitates them, this occurs shortly after they emerge from the egg and only gets worse as they age. The aggression is amplified when there is a food source deficiency or over crowding. If you plan on actually feeding the hornworms to your chams I would recommend purchasing some mix from greatlakes or mulberry farms, or risk attempting your own mix, either way tomatoes themselves are high in oxalic acid, which prevents/inhibits calcium absorption and is rough on the kidneys. I personally prefer to raise silkworms as such behaviors rarely if ever occur, and silkies thus far have been immensely cheaper to raise into later instars and adulthood. Sorry about this response being a bit sloppy, sent it from my phone in the rain.

 

[pigglett79]

Horn worms will even eat each other if they don't have enough food. I wouldn't recommend tomato as a food for them if you are feeding them off. They will readily eat many greens, carrots, sweet bell pepper, squash, sweet potato etc.

 

[absolutbill]

I certainly don't want to hijack this thread, but I'm facing a similar situation. I also bought a cup of hornworm eggs that have now hatched (they are about 1" long right now), and separately I have a cup of hornworm chow - how do I cook that cup to add to the cup that I have my hornworms in now? Thanks for any help, and I hope I didn't offend by jumping in on this thread