It has been inoculated by a parasitic braconid wasp that laid its eggs underneath the skin of the hornworm. The wasp larvae ...

They are fond of tomatoes. “Tomato plants, in particular, are a favored target for egg-laying by the hawk moth [because] this allows the newly hatched hornworms to begin feeding on the plant ...

Crush eggs if found. Handpick caterpillars and drown them in a container of soapy water. Hornworms overwinter in pupal cases 4-6" deep in the soil. Tilling garden soil in spring or fall may expose and ...