Tomato Hornworm on My Pepper Plant!

Beastly thing!!! We are about to get some rain, so I decided to go check my garden to see what could be picked before the storm hits. I looked at my pepper plants, and one had all the new growth eaten off, and three peppers with rather large holes. At first I was puzzled, then I knew EXACTLY who to go looking for to answer for this destruction. I didn't have far to look to find the culprit...a long fat hornworm! It had just eaten its last bite of my pepper plant. It was the last bite because I immediately pulled the caterpillar, squirming and protesting, off the plant and carried it to the chicken coop. The residents were quite appreciative of this pepper-flavored addition to their diet!

I was raised calling these caterpillars 'tomato hornworms' because that seems to be their plant of choice, but I have found them on potato plants and peppers, happily munching away. I have no doubt they will eat eggplant as well, and any plant in the nightshade family, wild or domestic. This includes tobacco. Really, it doesn't matter what plant I find them munching on...if I see them, their moments are numbered only by how fast I can either squish them or transport them to the nearest chicken or turkey!