Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle (Ontholestes cingulatus)

Gold-and-Brown Rove Beetle (Ontholestes cingulatus)

A relatively large rove beetle found throughout most of North America.  Adults eat maggots, mites, and beetle larvae.  Typically found in woodlands and wherever carrion occurs.  Several have been checking out our compost lately.

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Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle (Ontholestes cingulatus)

Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)

Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)

Common throughout most of the United States and southern Canada.  (Range Map)  Adults feed on flower nectar and rotting fruit.  I reckon this watermelon rind in our compost qualifies as "rotting fruit".  (BugGuide Species Page)

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Common Wood Nymph (Cercyonis pegala)

Tobacco Hornworm (Manduca sexta)

Stretching To Reach The Best Parts

This is the critter most folks (including me) call a Tomato Hornworm, but according to BugGuide it is actually a Tobacco Hornworm.  The white literal stripes edged with black and the curved, reddish-colored terminal horn are distinctive.  Regardless, it is the larva of a Carolina Sphinx Moth and can often be found munching on members of the Nightshade family throughout most of North and South America.  (We've also found them eating pepper plants in our garden.)


(The University of Florida has an excellent page comparing Tobacco and Tomato Hornworms, including adult moth images.)

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Tobacco Hornworm (Manduca sexta)