littlekrb
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Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:04 pm

Hornworm- help!

Today I discovered a ginormous hornworm on my tomato plants. I immediately got it off the plant and then sprayed it with organic insecticide to kill it. I looked and looked and looked but did not see any others on my tomato plants. But it's not possible for there to be only one is there? There is no noticeable damage to my plants but I know these things can work quickly and be quite destructive. I sprayed my plant with the organic insecticide to be safe. Should I keep looking for these things to pop up?

We are having a really mild fall, with temps still in the low 80s, so I would like to get a few more weeks out of my plants if I can. They are loaded with tomatoes right now.

JohnnyB60
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Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:59 pm
Location: Southern CA High Desert

Hi I'm new here and I've been struggling for years fighting hornworms. I just recently learned that wasps are very effective against hornworms. I've been killing wasps and destroying their hives and all along I could have been using them to help me.

I've also identified the months responsible for the infestation and I'm thinking about setting up a mosquito light to kill them before they lay the larvae. The light never worked for the mosquitoes, but sure killed a lot of months. :lol:

I don't know how well it will work of if I'll cause another problem from killing off something beneficial.

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gixxerific
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I'm not too down with the bug light idea it is to unselective in its methods.

Also though I am also not down with destroying wasps nest. I assume you mean red wasp those are not the same kind normally refered to as hornworm hunters. The wasp that normally parastises hornworms is the [url=https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/beneficials/beneficial-04_braconid_wasp_on_hornworm.htm]brachonid[/url] wasp.

Wasp like you are referring to will more than likely not bother people. At least they do not bother me. I had plants on my front porch. There was a wasp nest in the corner at the bottom of the eve all summer. They never once bothered me. I would normaly forget they are there than get in the corner and remember and there they were about 3 foot from my head just doing their thing while I was doing my thing. :D

JohnnyB60
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Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:59 pm
Location: Southern CA High Desert

gixxerific wrote:I'm not too down with the bug light idea it is to unselective in its methods.

Also though I am also not down with destroying wasps nest. I assume you mean red wasp those are not the same kind normally refered to as hornworm hunters. The wasp that normally parastises hornworms is the [url=https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/beneficials/beneficial-04_braconid_wasp_on_hornworm.htm]brachonid[/url] wasp.

Wasp like you are referring to will more than likely not bother people. At least they do not bother me. I had plants on my front porch. There was a wasp nest in the corner at the bottom of the eve all summer. They never once bothered me. I would normaly forget they are there than get in the corner and remember and there they were about 3 foot from my head just doing their thing while I was doing my thing. :D
I am also a little concerned about the bug light and I know I need to do some more research on what kind of bugs I got here before I use it. I once had a problem with a boring type bug which the name escapes me at the moment that was killing my peach tree. Anyway I was killing these really ugly bugs that I thought was causing the problem only to find out they were actually my allies.

About the wasps, I did not realize that there were different wasps and I do not know which kind I have but I have seen them taking an interest in my tomato plants. I guess I'll have to take a photo and identify them. I've had only one instance of the wasps hurting anyone and it was my neighbor who was standing right under a nest above my garage door while smoking a pipe. I guess the smoke was bothering the wasps. :lol:

Anyway thinks for the info

Ohio Tiller
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Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:39 am
Location: Ohio

I found three this year and plucked them off the bluegills in the pond just loved them! I just found one covered in wasp eggs last weekend and I left it on the plant! Its doing damage days were over!
[img]https://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j176/Johnfor3/hornworm_zps0a907866.jpg[/img]

JohnnyB60
Senior Member
Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:59 pm
Location: Southern CA High Desert

I never thought of that. I have a gold fish pond and I wonder if they would like one.
[img]https://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh176/SleeperN06/Gardening/Hornworm_1.jpg[/img] :lol:

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rainbowgardener
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There are a zillion different kind of wasps. The wasps that attack the hornworms are called braconid wasps. They are tiny, maybe a quarter of an inch long, and you usually never see them. They don't make wasps nests, since they lay their eggs inside the body of the hornworm or other insect they parasitize.

The adults feed on the nectar from the flowers of weeds and flowers of the daisy (Chrysanthemum) and carrot (Umbellifers) families, so it helps to have some of these in your garden to be sure you have braconids.

Otherwise the easiest/ most ecologically sound thing to do about the hornworms is just to hand pick them and destroy them. It is not my experience that you necessarily have a bunch of them, just because you find one. But you do have to get good at spotting them; they are well camouflaged.

JohnnyB60
Senior Member
Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:59 pm
Location: Southern CA High Desert

Well I finally found a photo of the braconid wasps and it's not what I got around here.
Anyway it was not my intention to highjack this thread and my apologies to littlekrb. I am interested in following this discussion because I need to find a solution for next year.

gardenboy
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Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:52 pm
Location: South Florida

Learning my gardening skills from my grandfather, he would plant 2 tomato plants then plant a basil plant next..then repeat 2 more tomato plants and then another basil plant...he rarely had hornworms. The Hawkmoth that lays the eggs that eventually become hornworms, do not like the smell of basil plants and acts as a deterrent. I practice the same idea expect I plant my tomato in 15 gallon containers and then put a basil plant next to 2 or 3 tomato plants and repeat. Only had 2 hornworms all season 2011/2012 BUT had more stinkbugs...so go figure!!



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