One could philosophize as to whether the leaf is missing, or the caterpillar that ate it is. I would simply argue that both are long gone. DH was upset enough that as soon as I found the perpetrator, the perpetrator was no more. No chance for a photo op for the hungriest caterpillar.
Not only was it the hungriest I’ve seen (our poor small pecan lost nearly every leaf in such a short span of time) it was (likely as a direct result of its voracious eating) also the largest caterpillar I’ve ever seen.
If you haven’t seen the caterpillar for a Sphinx Moth before, I hope you get to some day (outside of your own gardens, that is!)
It was easily more than two inches long, and bigger around than my thumb. Not unlike this photo I found:
I am grateful, however, that I didn’t come upon it when it had reached this stage:
As that guy actually creeps me out a bit.
The one in our yard had unfortunately nearly finished off every leaf by the time I found it.
But thankfully, a few short weeks later, the tree looks to be making a solid come-back.
Lesson learned: Don’t leave your trees to fend for themselves.
I’d never really considered checking trees for caterpillars or other pests before. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, there are so many trees that to do so would be a full-time job that never ended. Here though, where our trees are more sparse, it would be easy to simply do a quick walk-by and make sure that I found the smooth criminal (or fuzzy!) long before an entire tree was in danger of being eaten.
plumdirt 
Until that pecan is 40 feet tall…but you have a *few* years til then! 😉
Just a few 😉
Crazy caterpillars one day leaves are there the next day, not. I wonder if they migrate in the middle of the night to gorge themselves on plants. I envision a wave of green crossing the road. You are right, they eat everything and grow with every bite.
Ha! Now I’m picturing an army of caterpillars matching across the road in the dark of night with bomber helmets on!
Darn caterpillars.
Can’t believe you’re growing a pecan tree! What a beautiful bounty when it grows up. If the caterpillars in bomber helmets don’t take over. 🙂
Hah! I thought you’d enjoy that image! Thankfully, there are some producing pecan trees on the greenbelt that we may be able to beat the squirrels (and other neighbors) to. Last year with the drought none of the pecans made pecans, but this year there are more than a few =)
Oh dear ! Is there any kind of companion planting that you coul dtry around the base of the tree – something that the catepillars would either like more or totally repel them from your pecan?
Now there’s an idea! (Off I go to rummage through the books and internet…)