insects eating my tomatoes

Nancy Bell · Joined: 31 May 2003 Posts: 1

Some kind of insect is eating my tomatoes before they turn red. Is there something that I can apply that would be safe and effective?

dragonfly · Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2003 8:01 pm Post subject:

By "eating", do you mean taking big chunks out of the fruit? Or are there little holes where something could be boring into the tomatoes, or are the plants (leaves etc) being eaten also?
The only insect I have ever had eating tomatoes was grasshoppers. I put a stop to that by building a screen house around the entire tomato bed. If the foliage is being eaten, look for hornworms. You'll have to look hard because their color is so similar to the stems. They usually seem to be found under stems toward the outer edges of the plants in my experience. They are easy to get rid of by hand-picking.

amodekraft · Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 52 Location: Salado

Hornworms eat green tomatoes. I think, however, that I would miss a season without a hornworm. The shot of primal fear that strikes my heart at the site of one must be good for my reflexes! I have my suspicions that mockingbirds do to, but I'm not sure.

cynthiac · Joined: 18 Jul 2003 Posts: 59 Location: DFW

Oh hornworms! :twisted:

I had a few of those last year. At first I thought "what a cool caterpillar". NOT! My mother quickly told me don't sacrifice some of your tomato plants thinking you are helping a butterfly. I'll admit I still think they are pretty, however they eat like a shark!

I saw them going at the leaves mostly though, I guess my tomatoes would've suffered more if I had not ended it then.

Are you finding big holes in your tomatoes or like scaley "trenches" across them? I still wonder when you say chunks if maybe birds. The squirrels I've seen take the whole tomato. They were small tomatoes though (cherry).

goo0h · Joined: 07 May 2004 Posts: 127 Location: Denton,TEXAS

OK, so I've spotted my first caterpillar munching on my first tomatoes (some plants I picked up at HomeDepot on a whim one day in April.) What's the best way to protect these plants? I've been applying some pre-mixed garlic-pepper tea spray, but I don't think it's been doing much good. Guess I need to pick up Garrett's Texas Veggy book....

dragonfly · Posted: Wed May 18, 2005 9:20 pm Post subject:

Hand-picking is easy, or you can use Bt. Either is effective, hand-picking is cheapest :)

goo0h · Joined: 07 May 2004 Posts: 127 Location: Denton,TEXAS

dragonfly wrote: Hand-picking is easy, or you can use Bt. Either is effective, hand-picking is cheapest :)
Yeah, and I guess I'll need to get used to it. Without really thinking ahead about the long-term consequences, on the other side of the house I planted a royal red butterfly bush. Interesting, vibrant color, but of course if it lives up to its name, will likely be doing a lot of plucking. DO'H! Oh well.

Oh, anybody know of where I can get a handy, portable, recharable UV light?

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=1061

I guess I could get a pet skunk.

dragonfly · Posted: Thu May 19, 2005 9:09 pm Post subject:

I"ve not seen a rechargable one, but I have seen regular battery operated ones.