We noticed something was seating our tomatoes and today we found a large horn worm chomping away (I had never seen or heard of this before today).
Before we discovered the horn worm, we saw the little green eggs on the leaves, but we thought it was part of the eaten tomato.
We cut off that part of the plant (with the large worm) but the eggs are still everywhere.
Is there anything we can spray on the plant to kill the eggs/prevent the return of the horn worm?
I was worried about spraying chemicals on the plant since we will be eating the fruit.
Thanks in advance!
I haven't tried this particular tip, but I recently read that masking tape will help remove squash vine borer eggs from the underside of squash leaves.
Maybe this tip can be applied to hornworm eggs? Or can you cut the parts of the leaves with the eggs off of the plant?
In either case, I'd recommend placing the eggs into a *tightly* sealed plastic bag or even double-bagging, and throwing eggs, bag(s) and all into the garbage. No compost, no yard-waste container--just trash. These things need to die.
Good luck.
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
Maybe this tip can be applied to hornworm eggs? Or can you cut the parts of the leaves with the eggs off of the plant?
In either case, I'd recommend placing the eggs into a *tightly* sealed plastic bag or even double-bagging, and throwing eggs, bag(s) and all into the garbage. No compost, no yard-waste container--just trash. These things need to die.
Good luck.
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
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hendi_alex
- Super Green Thumb
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With a good eye, it is pretty easy to simply hand pick tomato hornworms. I've never seen more than 6-12 worms on a plant at one time. The key is getting the worms while they are still small. Just a couple of the big worms can decimate a five foot plant. I would never use pesticide to control hornworms. Instead simply make two or three trips to the tomato plants and look very carefully for the presence of these lavae. Most often they are anchored near the top of the plant. Also their little pellets pile on leaves and give away the worm's location. If you happen to miss a worm or two, a bare limb will magically appear, and then there is no hiding for the beast. These guys are not nearly as destructive or as difficult to control as are the corn ear worms as they often bore from tomato to tomato and ruin entire clusters of the fruit.
Try a sticky lint roller? That would be a hoot to watchcynthia_h wrote:I haven't tried this particular tip, but I recently read that masking tape will help remove squash vine borer eggs from the underside of squash leaves.
Maybe this tip can be applied to hornworm eggs? Or can you cut the parts of the leaves with the eggs off of the plant?
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
