Dianne-TX Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 We found this on a tomato plant. Can you help us identify it? We are nature idiots over here. :) Thanks. (I hope the attachment works. This is my first time to use it on here.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty Social Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I'm not an expert, but it looks like a tomato worm to me. Squash it now, before it destroys your plants! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OHGrandma Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Tomato hornworm, here's a link to its life cycle: http://www.vegedge.umn.edu/vegpest/hornworm.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary in GA Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 It's a caterpillar that turns into a greyish moth. Boy can they eat! Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paula j Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Yep, that is a hornbill tomato worm for sure! they eat your leaves, your tomatoes and then the plant itself. They will also move around and eat a few bites out of each tomato, they won't even leave a couple of whole ones for ya.:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Those ravaged our tomatoes and potato vines this summer. They're nasty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianne-TX Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 Thanks, everyone! Thankfully, our garden has not produced anything for a long time so it will not hurt anything right now. It's just a small box garden, so I guess we'll clean out all the soil and dirt and have it empty for next year because I guess the eggs could still be in the soil for next year. I'm so glad I asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeathenMom Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 we have the tomato hornworm and the tobacco hornworm around here. they like peppers (pablanos especially!) as well as tomatoes. the kids will love the way they feel crawling on their arms, but you have to get rid of them or kiss your crop goodbye! here's a link that includes the grown-ups. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_hornworm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 when in doubt, go to http://www.whatsthatbug.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 My son studied this the other day. It is a tomato horn worm and it will eat all you have if allowed to do so. *Squish* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anneinco Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 This has been interesting to read. I saw one of these on my neighbor's tomato plant and they said he ate a lot! They had a ton of plants though so they still had tomatos. Anyways, after checking out the life cycle, was neat to see he turns into the moth that caught our eye last year as well. Looked like a humingbird but was a moth. Will forward this info onto my neighbor so they are prepared next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeathenMom Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 My son studied this the other day. It is a tomato horn worm and it will eat all you have if allowed to do so. *Squish* we ran into some while working in the garden last week. we aren't bug squishers, but one of the hornworms got injured. the kids were highly disturbed watching him fight the flies off his half-squished body. it made him seem a lot more intelligent than you'd normally give a catepillar credit for... :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 My insect book says it's a tobacco hornworm, related to the tomato hornworm. I remember them destroying a bunch of my tomato plants back when I used to garden. If your kids like science experiments you could catch one to put in a terrarium, they have an interesting pupa. I have a distant memory of feeding colored (food coloring) cornmeal to worms to see the worms change color (lavendar, blue, etc), but I can't remember if that was tomato worms or not. Good luck, have fun, try things Denise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianne-TX Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 My insect book says it's a tobacco hornworm, related to the tomato hornworm. I remember them destroying a bunch of my tomato plants back when I used to garden. If your kids like science experiments you could catch one to put in a terrarium, they have an interesting pupa. I have a distant memory of feeding colored (food coloring) cornmeal to worms to see the worms change color (lavendar, blue, etc), but I can't remember if that was tomato worms or not. Good luck, have fun, try things Denise My kids would LOVE this. How do I do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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