I planted marigolds near my tomato plants, so far no tomato hornworms. But there's cut worms in the 5th bed because I saw some seedlings were cut in half.

Well, went out to the garden to find this in my pepper plants. Never knew they would dine on these, but they are totally destroyed. To appease the worm lovers, I threw him in an outdoor trash can. Maybe he will make it.

NakedChickenFarm said:Well, went out to the garden to find this in my pepper plants. Never knew they would dine on these, but they are totally destroyed. To appease the worm lovers, I threw him in an outdoor trash can. Maybe he will make it.

I would have fed it to the chickens.

thisisme2 said:

I would have fed it to the chickens.

That was the first thing my husband asked! Did I feed it to the chickens.

NakedChickenFarm said:Well, went out to the garden to find this in my pepper plants. Never knew they would dine on these, but they are totally destroyed. To appease the worm lovers, I threw him in an outdoor trash can. Maybe he will make it.

I don't believe that caterpillar was living there, that pepper plant is way too small to support one of these for more than a few days and that caterpillar is large. Either it somehow crawled on it or was placed on that plant. Usually large seedlings are ignored for the fact they can't support enough food resources.

keithp2012 said:
I don't believe that caterpillar was living there, that pepper plant is way too small to support one of these for more than a few days and that caterpillar is large. Either it somehow crawled on it or was placed on that plant. Usually large seedlings are ignored for the fact they can't support enough food resources.

Why are you being so insulting to one of our kindest and most helpful members? And why would you question her integrity?

Do you know the mind of a tomato horned worm?

If you look closely at the picture @keithp2012, you will see the poo underneath the caterpillar. Surely you dont believe I gathered that up for the purpose of posting on this thread?

This is what the plants looked like about a week ago when I took a picture for the pepper thread. Check there is you dont believe that.

CrazedHoosier said:Hornworms may not be lethal on their own, but if you couple that with septoria leaf spot, blight, or aphids, then your tomato and pepper plants may be out for the count. I HATE killing insects for the life of a plant that isn't even native. There is however a very innate human instinct that tells us to guard and protect our property. On top of that, gardening can be expensive. I think it is important to have people like the person who started this thread, as it helps even out the people like us who kill hornworms and other insects for the sake of the plant. Together, both sides can keep them in control. That said, hornworms freak me out, and I feed them to my leopard geckos as snacks sometimes.

I wouldn't feed any wild insect to your pet reptiles, first because the tomato toxins, second any potential parasites.

Yes, I owned a leopard gecko and I looked it up once, you definitely don't want to feed wild insects to pet reptiles.

keithp2012 said:Seen as a pest by many, most people don't realize these turn into beneficial moth pollinators.

I've never had any tomato plant killed by these caterpillars, most quickly recovered and grew new leaves infact. Unless your plants are for work or you live off the grid and your life depends on tomato's, you don't have to worry if you see these caterpillars. I even plant extra tomato's solely to put extra hornworms on to ensure more moths.

Wasps naturally target some of them, so chances are half won't survive for long, but some will always make it to pupate. Kill all the caterpillars and you hurt the beneficial wasp population as well, nature has no trouble balancing itself out we don't need to intervene.

Tomato hornworms have a black 'horn', Tobacco hornworms red with black tip 'horn'. Both eat nightshade plants including wild nightshade which is an invasive weed.

If left alone they turn into these beautiful; beneficial moths, which deep throated flowers need to pollinate them no other animal can reach deep enough to get nectar.

Bless you.

I have noticed that the hornworms seem to like particular varieties, so I don't grow those varieties anymore. For backyard gardeners I think the most valuable tool you have is a journal; you should write everything down, failures, particular problems, etc. For example, I have found that if I don't grow eggplants I don't have flea beetles. I don't like to eat eggplant anyway!

I just keep one sacrifice Tomato plant in a container away from the garden to put them on if I get any which has been pretty rare the last few years.

keithp2012 said:

I wouldn't feed any wild insect to your pet reptiles, first because the tomato toxins, second any potential parasites.

Yeah I meant I buy them at the pet store and feed them to my leopard geckos. I just kill the ones from outside.

I always plant more tomato plants than I need and haven't seen many hornworms. I've seen up to 6 hawk moths in my hummingbird/butterfly garden in the evening feeding on the penstemon and love watching them. Not sure what kind but they aren't as big as the sphinx moths I've had at other houses. Never seen a hornworm that wasps have laid eggs on in all my years of gardening.

If you ever see one, you'll know it.

Grossness alert- don't click on this photo if you have a weak stomach
https://fineartamerica.com/fea...

"Gross Alert" -that made me laugh!

I was worrying about clicking it. But I finally did.

And leaving the parasitized hornworm alone, is why, ever since, I have little wasps protecting my tomato and cucumber plants. My plants are incredibly healthy this year. I got a late start with planting my tomatoes, pepper, and cucumbers this year, but despite the temperature running in the 90's they are setting on tiny fruit, finally.

I will be doing a taste and yield comparison between Big Boy and Better Boy. So far, in terms of plant growth, Big Boy is beating the pants off Better Boy.