Hornworms, if you know about bugs please help!?

Question

ok so i found a 4 inch hornworm on my tomato plant

i know most people search for ways to kill these caterpillars but i couldnt bring myself to do it after i researched and found out what a beautiful moth it becomes (my mom was studying entymology when i was little so i have a sort of love for bugs =P)

right now i have it in a two gallon tank with about 3-4 inches of soil

every morning i put a cup of water filled with tomato branches that are on the ground and will rot anyway

anything else i should do?

when will it form a pupa?

thanks =)

Answer 1

When it has consumed enough food.  We used to collect them for a state fair exhibit in September and they were still very much in the munching state.  So by end of Sept into Oct they should be converting over.

If you found one, there are many more there, so keep checking back on the plants.  It's doubtful the moth laid just one egg last spring.