InsectNet forum

He looks like I felt two days ago when I accidentally ate a jalapeño. Nice timing with this post, brings back bad memories

Amazing photographic opportunity !

At least one of our native species here in the US will eat your tomatoes (as well as the leaves) but, I would never have imagined anything would eat a jalapeno pepper --other than a human.

I feel sorry for the bird that eats that caterpillar.

I was wondering the same thing. Maybe, that's how they'll get people to eat more bugs..on purpose.

58chevy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 6:41 pm I feel sorry for the bird that eats that caterpillar.

Capsaicin affects only mammals, not birds.

Yes, you may notice if and when you buy suet to feed our feathered friends... there are "hot" varieties ,to discourage those cute little chipmunks
and squirrels from eating your bird food.

kevinkk wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 10:30 pm Yes, you may notice if and when you buy suet to feed our feathered friends... there are "hot" varieties ,to discourage those cute little chipmunks
and squirrels from eating your bird food.

I don't know if it's ever been widely implemented, but I recall reading somewhere that capsaicin has been incorporated into the insulation on power lines to help discourage chewing by squirrels.

Interestingly, I've actually noticed there seem to usually be more Manduca sexta/quinquemaculatus caterpillars on jalapeno and other hot peppers than on bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant. Possibly due to less vertebrate predation?

Eleodes wrote: ↑Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:42 pm Interestingly, I've actually noticed there seem to usually be more Manduca sexta/quinquemaculatus caterpillars on jalapeno and other hot peppers than on bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant. Possibly due to less vertebrate predation?

I found lots of M. sexta eggs and young larvae on the tomato, purchased at
Home Depot. It looks like the plants were treated with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt):
all larvae died out. The larvae of the M.s., fed on the jalapeno from the same store,
developed well and pupated. I guess nurseries do not use Bt on jalapeno,
for some reason (at least in my area).