This is Kevin the tomato hornworm which has been chomping away at my tomato plants. I didn’t mind, really. I have more than enough tomatoes and welcome the caterpillars that would eventually morph into beautiful moths. Kevin and I were on good terms.

But alas, it appears the predatory parasitic wasps have found Kevin. What you are witnessing is Nature’s balancing act in progress. The wasps have laid eggs which have become larvae which have been eating Kevin from the inside out, and now larvae cocoons (the white grain-like ovals) are nesting on his weak, almost lifeless shell. Soon, these cocoons will crack to reveal a new generation of predatory wasps, ready for their next preys.

Sorry I can’t help you, my friend, though I am fond of you. If I intervene, I will upset the balance of Nature. As a steward of Nature, my job is to maintain the balance for the highest good of all within this ecosystem.

So fly high, Kevin. Hope you at least enjoyed the noms while you could. And better luck with your reincarnation in the next life. 

PS: if you ever wonder how I’ve mastered the art of razor-sharp detachment to accompany my deep sense of compassion and altruism….this is where I learn. Spend a year in the garden and you’ll love everything while at the same time attached to nothing.