Fall Caterpillars snarfing my ripe tomatoes

David52 · September 27, 2007

First time ever, but well over 50 ripe tomatoes have caterpillars eating away, right inside the fruit, at the stem end. Only 1 caterpillar per tomato. Never seen it, nobody around here has ever heard of it, and nothing distinctive about the worm, just an 1 " long fat green caterpillar, looking very happy.

Hope it goes away next year.

feldon30 · September 28, 2007

I really got hammered by Fruitworms this spring. I lost 10 Cherokee Purple fruits to them.

Click for Larger Size

The solution is thorough spraying with BT.

David52 · September 28, 2007

When do you spray 'em?

feldon30 · September 28, 2007

Spray the plants every week. BT is effective against Hornworms, Fruitworms, etc.

David52 · September 28, 2007

Thanks, I've got some bt, but never had to use it on 'maters before. First time seeing this bug around. I brought in a few bushels of tomatoes to ripen indoors, and these things came along for the ride.

September 27, 2007	#1
David52 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: SW Colorado Posts: 74	Fall Caterpillars snarfing my ripe tomatoes First time ever, but well over 50 ripe tomatoes have caterpillars eating away, right inside the fruit, at the stem end. Only 1 caterpillar per tomato. Never seen it, nobody around here has ever heard of it, and nothing distinctive about the worm, just an 1 " long fat green caterpillar, looking very happy. Hope it goes away next year. __________________ That last tomato, dear? What last tomato? That stain on my shirt collar? Um, er, lipstick.

September 28, 2007	#2
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	I really got hammered by Fruitworms this spring. I lost 10 Cherokee Purple fruits to them. Click for Larger Size The solution is thorough spraying with BT. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

September 28, 2007	#3
David52 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: SW Colorado Posts: 74	When do you spray 'em? __________________ That last tomato, dear? What last tomato? That stain on my shirt collar? Um, er, lipstick.

September 28, 2007	#4
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	Spray the plants every week. BT is effective against Hornworms, Fruitworms, etc. __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

September 28, 2007	#5
David52 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: SW Colorado Posts: 74	Thanks, I've got some bt, but never had to use it on 'maters before. First time seeing this bug around. I brought in a few bushels of tomatoes to ripen indoors, and these things came along for the ride. __________________ That last tomato, dear? What last tomato? That stain on my shirt collar? Um, er, lipstick.