Tomato worm - Ask Extension
The worms in the attachments are eating/stripping the tomato leaves. I have destroyed about 8-9 already. Is there anything I can do other than pick ...
Knowledgebase
Tomato worm #877714
Asked July 17, 2024, 9:01 PM EDT
The worms in the attachments are eating/stripping the tomato leaves. I have destroyed about 8-9 already. Is there anything I can do other than pick them off individually?
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
These appear to be Tobacco Hornworms, and despite their name, they are often the hornworm type consuming tomato foliage. (Tobacco is related to tomato, and Tomato Hornworms can also eat tomato plants. The caterpillars are treated the same either way.)
Picking them off as they are found is the fastest way to get rid of them (toss them to the birds), but some lower-toxicity insecticide options exist if they are necessary. Make sure any product selected is labeled for caterpillars and is also labeled for use on food crops. Active ingredient options include Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt, in a strain specific to caterpillars), spinosad, and the feeding deterrent for chewing insects called kaolin clay, which like the other products may need recurring application to maintain protection. Bt will not work well on older caterpillars, but might help with those that are still young. (Hornworms reach about 3 to 4 inches long when ready to finish feeding and turn into the adult moth.) Choose one of those three (not all of them together) if you decide to spray, and avoid applying anything while the temperature is above 85 degrees to minimize the risk of plant tissue damage. Rarely is an insecticide needed for their control, however.
Miri
Picking them off as they are found is the fastest way to get rid of them (toss them to the birds), but some lower-toxicity insecticide options exist if they are necessary. Make sure any product selected is labeled for caterpillars and is also labeled for use on food crops. Active ingredient options include Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt, in a strain specific to caterpillars), spinosad, and the feeding deterrent for chewing insects called kaolin clay, which like the other products may need recurring application to maintain protection. Bt will not work well on older caterpillars, but might help with those that are still young. (Hornworms reach about 3 to 4 inches long when ready to finish feeding and turn into the adult moth.) Choose one of those three (not all of them together) if you decide to spray, and avoid applying anything while the temperature is above 85 degrees to minimize the risk of plant tissue damage. Rarely is an insecticide needed for their control, however.
Miri
