Tomato Questions

pinksand · Wed Jul 23, 2014 2:56 pm

My first question is, is this a tomato hornworm on my pepper plant? I haven't seen any since the photo was taken a few weeks ago, but thought this guy looked familiar....

Also, do these spots on my tomatoes mean anything in particular?

GEOSAN · Wed Jul 23, 2014 3:10 pm

That's a Tobacco Horn worm with the 7 diagonal white lines and a red "horn". The Tomato Hornworm has 8 "V" shaped white lines. Look good, they are well camouflaged...frass droppings are is usually spotted first.

applestar · Wed Jul 23, 2014 3:29 pm

Yep Tobacco hornworm is all I've ever seen on my tomatoes.

I recognize that hose pots those spots (

) look like bacterial speck

https://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell. ... ck_Tom.htm
...but I've never had them on my tomatoes before. (Knock on wood)

GEOSAN · Wed Jul 23, 2014 3:39 pm

What are hose pots Apple ? I don't think I ever had any..at least not in the garden.

pinksand · Wed Jul 23, 2014 3:40 pm

I'm assuming she meant "those spots"?

GEOSAN · Wed Jul 23, 2014 3:51 pm

Regarding the spots on the tomatoes... are the spots only on these tomatoes shown ? Can they be wiped off ? Is it possible it is hornworm "dodo"? Look above to see if you have a "guest" up above somewhere.

applestar · Wed Jul 23, 2014 3:54 pm

I love my iPad, I do. But autocorrect and light touch virtual keyboard typos are the bane of my life!

pinksand · Wed Jul 23, 2014 4:10 pm

GEOSAN wrote:Regarding the spots on the tomatoes... are the spots only on these tomatoes shown ? Can they be wiped off ? Is it possible it is hornworm "dodo"? Look above to see if you have a "guest" up above somewhere.

It's just specifically that group of tomatoes, I haven't noticed spots on any others. It doesn't wipe off and seems to be a part of the skin so I'm guessing that bacterial spots are more likely than horn worm frass. I can't see any tobacco horn worms on my tomato plant at all, just the one that was photographed on a pepper plant.

Edit: I take that back, I do see spots starting to develop on some of the other fruit.

Should the fruit not be eaten? I'll have to do some research!

applestar · Sun Jul 27, 2014 4:57 pm

Did someone say NOT to mention you haven't got the pest or disease in your garden?

...I do believe they were right.

: What appears to be bacterial speck on a Neves Azorian Red
and on a Royal Hillbilly

My suspicion is on Japanese Beetles that are feeding on the bean leaves above the tomatoes and dropping their frass all over.

Lindsaylew82 · Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:30 pm

Hmmmm... I get spots like these on late season tomatoes... I always thought they were from sucking insects.

applestar · Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:35 pm

Do you think stinkbugs? I have seen a few that are NOT the Brown Marmorated Stinkbugs that are common around here -- smaller with pointed shoulders.

Lindsaylew82 · Sun Jul 27, 2014 5:54 pm

We have 3 kinds of stink bugs here, I have a little trouble with them. Mainly the smaller ones with yellow bellies. We have a new one this year that looks like crushed up Oreos. I haven't taken the time to look them up yet. The bigger late season problem bugs, for me, are leaf footed bugs.