Tomato hornworm burrowing before pupating

Timelapse of 4-5 instar tomato hornworm burrowing into soil before pupating.
1 frame/ 2s, using Canon default timelapse encoding.
I found this caterpillar, along with another larger one, on my tomato plants on the roof of the dorm by my lab at Columbia University in NY. Don't know if it was just the right time or a result of the cooler temperatures when I moved it inside, but within two days it had stopped eating and just started running around the plexiglass case I had it in. I put in a branch to climb, not realizing that these moths (5-spotted hawk moths) don't form cocoons but burrow into dirt. After I put it into a jar filled with dirt, it immediately started burrowing and was completely buried and dormant within 20-30min.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• tomato hornworm
• metamorphosis
• caterpillar
• moth

[Automeris2]

@tmacguy A hornworm will lose interest in feeding. It may turn any hue of dull pink along dorsal side. Even if there's no pink, its skin will show a slight translucense. Give them a container of moist, chemical free [no added fertilizer, etc] potting mix or seed starter mix and the larva will immediately burrow if ready. Add a leaf in case it wants to eat some more. Add a stick for the moth to climb on.

Once buried, quickly place the container where you want it for 3 weeks and do NOT move it!

[tmacguy]

how do u no when they r ready to pupate?

[cbohar84]

Aw! He's camera shy!

[89hellohi]

my teacher has a tomato worm just like that and it didnt burrow in the dirt,and now its in its pupa but not underground.Will it still survive?

ps:There was three tomato worms in there.Is it okay if they're together?