Moved from Moths.

This moth is a sphinx moth, and is probably a Manduca sexta or a Manduca quinquemaculata, commonly known in their larval form as tomato and tobacco hornworms, which are considerable crop pests. These hornworms are also well-known in the entomology community for having a close personal relationship with a species of parasitoid wasps, which insert their eggs into the hornworms. When the eggs hatch, the wasp larvae use the caterpillar as a food factory, until each wasp pupates by popping out of a hole it creates in the caterpillar's skin, then weaving a cocoon for itself. It is not uncommon to find parasitized hornworms in a backyard garden during the summer--they are obvious by the colleciton of cocoons stuck to their backs. The caterpillars do not survive the parasitization, and the wasps are considered a form of natural pest control.