what kind of worm is this? = tomato fruitworm

[harryhh]

You may want to take a look at this, particularly the insecticide recommended. Apparently they are a little hard to get rid of.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 5853,d.aWc

So far, they have destroyed just over 80% of my tomatoes.

I found these two things on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Max-Insecti ... pfulgar-20

https://www.amazon.com/Suspend-Insectici ... pfulgar-20

If you check into them, the more expensive one seems to be the better one.

Ask people who are more knowledgeable than me about this insecticide, and see if you want to go that route.

Good Luck,
Harry

P.S. I should note that on tomatoes they are usually called Tomato Fruitworm. Corn and tomatoes are their favorite foods.

[rainbowgardener]

You do like those toxic chemicals! I didn't look up the second one, but the first / demon one is cypermetrin. I found a bunch of toxicity info on it, but the copy link thing on my smart phone didn't work. Anyone who cares can look it up for themselves.

Bt and Spinosad are harmless organic controls for them.

For future reference, trichogamma wasps are parasites on them. Growing yarrow, carrot family plants (parsley, fennel, etc - you have to let some flower), sweet alyssum, lemon balm, pennyroyal and other mints, tansy, marigold, sage, cilantro in and around your garden will attract these and other beneficial insects to your garden. I hav every one of those plants in my garden and I have never seen a fruitworm.

[applestar]

I'm so upset about this. Yet another pest. This year I have all kinds of new pests I haven't seen before. It is just making gardening even harder!

I think weather patterns have a lot to do with arrival of new or unusual pests in the garden. I think I'm safe in saying most of us are experiencing unusual weather this year.

[applestar]

these guys really hide well. I could see some poo on the leaves but I couldn't find the worm!

When I find their poop they are not too far away, and they leave behind massive poops......for a caterpillar that is. If you find another one take a clearer picture of it. The neon green color (and size) of your caterpillar looks 100% like the ones I get.......and yes, they are experts at blending in. I'm thinking the pest you're having problems with is the same one I get when it starts to cool in my area. It happens every year and when it does I put ziplock bags around the larger green tomatoes. If you do that, cut a small hole in the bottom corner of the bag so that the moisture inside of it can leak out.

Just make sure you seal the ziplock bag around the stem leading to the tomato. I usually check them once a day and they usually stay mostly sealed unless a strong weather system moves through and loosens the seal. When that happens I put a few drops of superglue on the seal and that usually keeps the seal tight until the tomato is ready to be picked (I pick them while their green and put them on the kitchen counter to ripen).

I thought this bagging with a ziplock bag is a neat trick! I'm going to remember that for future reference. Thanks, Francis B

I'm picking tomatoes when they are fully blushed (Color changes from green to pale then first blush of color most of the way up the fruit. Fruit is still hard.) I don't think I'm experiencing any loss in flavor doing it this way.

[sheeshshe]

I'm so upset about this. Yet another pest. This year I have all kinds of new pests I haven't seen before. It is just making gardening even harder!

I think weather patterns have a lot to do with arrival of new or unusual pests in the garden. I think I'm safe in saying most of us are experiencing unusual weather this year.

the weather has definitely been all over the board!