Hungry

[Mitch Haimov]

Was cooking dinner on the grill when a curled up leaf on my jalapeño plant caught my eye. That leaf turned out to be this tomato horn worm (tomato hawkmoth caterpillar):

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2871/9470981796_8a685f1e37_o.jpg

Made a variety of compositions at magnifications ranging from 1.2:1 to 4:1. This one, at about 4:1, is the only one I've had time to process so far. Processing consisted of spot healing brush as a digital napkin for this messy (and voracious) eater and NIK to bring out texture in subject/reduce noise in BG.

1 sec at f/14, ISO 800
Canon 5D II, MP-E65, MT24-EX diffused with translucent paper, tripod.

Not certain of my ID; any corrections welcome, as are all comments and critiques.

[Mitch Haimov]

Er, make that "...ranging from 1:1.2 to 4:1." :e3

[Nancy Bell]

I love this magnified other-worldly view of this critter! Fantastic contrasting colors, great curves of the eaten leaf and great spots! I like the unconventional up-side-down appearing view.

[Allen Sparks]

Hi Mitch, I really like this too - great perspective, details and overall composition... unique image - well done... -- Allen

[Mitch Haimov]

Thank you both!

[Mitch Haimov]

Turns out this is not a tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) after all, but rather a tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta). The diagnostic features do not appear in this image, but the tomato hornworm was chevron-shaped white stripes on the sides and (typically) a black "horn" while the tobacco hornworm has seven diagonal white stripes on the sides and (typically) a red "horn." I know y'all were losing sleep wording about that...