Worms With Spikes

Tomato/Tobacco Hornworms

• Tomato and tobacco hornworms, similar in appearance, are the largest caterpillars found in some areas of the U.S. They measure up to 4 inches long and have a prominent spike-like horn protruding from their rear ends. Due to their large size, they are capable of quickly stripping the leaves from tomato and tobacco plants. The main difference between the tomato hornworm and the tobacco hornworm is the horn, which is red and curved on the tobacco hornworm, and blue-black and straighter on tomato hornworms.

Catalpa Worms

• Catalpa worms are the caterpillar stage of the hawk or sphinx moth that feed on leaves of catalpa trees, stripping them of foliage. Also valued as fish bait in the eastern U.S., are white to pale yellow upon hatching, with a distinctive black spine or horn on its rear. As the catalpa larvae grow, their color changes, the head and body have black markings.

Hickory Horned Devil

• The worm-like larvae of the regal moth, known as the hickory horned devil, has a voracious appetite at 4 1/2 to 6 inches long. Due to the small numbers of larvae, severe damage to foliage is not likely. The hickory horned devil is astounding to look at with its long spike-like horns. The front two body segments have four spikelike projections that are brown at the base, becoming black at the tip and can be nearly an inch long. It also has several shorter spiky projections on each body segment, from the head to the tail end.

Orange-striped Oakworm

• Found abundantly on oak trees from late August through September; the orange-striped oakworm begins as a small greenish caterpillar. It later grown into a larger, black caterpillar with yellow-to-orange stripes that run lengthwise. Behind its head is a prominent pair of spike-like horns. People often use pesticides to control the common occurrence of large populations of this pest.