The tobacco hornworm that appears to have eight smiles... and one scowl

This friendly insect could be the happiest in the world, with a series of "smiles" down both sides of its body.

Called a tobacco hornworm, the creature appears to have numerous faces with what look like convincing "eyes", complete with cheeky grins, peeping out all the way down its three-inch body.

But, despite appearances, these are just markings. The worm only has one face, which is surprisingly glum compared to its body.

Friendly: The tobacco hornworm appears to have numerous faces with what look like convincing "eyes", complete with cheeky grins, peeping out all the way down its three-inch body

Photographed here in its "Larva" stage, this hornworm will eventually grow into a moth.

Mother-of-three Krista Queeney snapped these pictures after her husband discovered the creature in their back garden.

The45-year-old from Gloucester, Massachusetts, said: "My husband Tom wasnew to gardening and growing vegetables in a small area of the yard.

"While tending to his garden, he was startled to find this creature on his tomato plant.

"Having not had a vegetable garden before, he had no idea what this odd looking beast was.

"He cut off the branch it was clinging to and brought it into the house to show me.

"I was fascinated as well and saw a great photo opportunity with this strange creature.

"A neighbour, who is an avid gardener, later told me it was a hornworm and a big pest in the garden."

Photographed in a Massachusetts garden during its "Larva" stage, this hornworm will grow into a moth

The Tobacco Hornworm is distinguished by diagonal lines on each flank.

Most commonly found in America, it is regarded as a pest because it eats the leaves and stems of many vegetables plants.

Mrs Queeney added: "This particular Hornworm was covered in white, cottony insects.

"Theseare Braconid Wasps - they use the worm as a host for its young. Thewhite things you see that look like rice are the wasp eggs."

Sheadded: "I was advised to kill it but, by then, I had gotten to know thepesky caterpillar too well through our photo session we had just sharedand just couldn"t do it.

"I gently put it by some trees, far from the garden."