Prelude to hornworm?

sooby77 · June 29, 2007

Hi all,

We just had a severe thunderstorm that went through and it knocked down couple of my tomato plants. So as I was checking on them, I look at my arugula bed that was growing on my window sill and saw these having a party. What are they? Are they baby hornworm? I don't see any horn on them. Will BT take care of them? Thanks for any advice.

Soo
North Raleigh, NC

bizzarbazzar · June 30, 2007

The top pic is rather difficult for me to see your "hornless hornworm", but several hornworm species do not actually have horns and some lose them and develop an "eye". I wish you had a better pic of the frass as it would help in deciding if indeed your caterpillar is in the same family. The majority of the Hornworms do not cause much damage to plants except for the tomato and the tobacco species which are the 2 to be concerned with as the others do not feed on tomatoes/tomato plants but have been found on them. Both of which indeed do have horns. Both tobacco and tomato hornworms when they hatch (at the 1st instar) have a horn that seem disproportionately large as they sort of "grow into" their horn. Does your caterpillar have any markings at all or is he indeed a solid green as he appears to be vaguely in the picture.

**mdvpc** · June 30, 2007

Whatever type of worm it is, its eating your arugula-there is a trail of worm feces in your second photo-bt should take care of them-there are never just one-make sure you spray your tomatoes also cause they are there too.

sooby77 · June 30, 2007

There is absolutely no mark on the body, it's all green. I couldn't bring myself to squish them (gross!) so I dumped them quite a distance from the arugula bed where birds can find them.

Yeah, I took the second photo to show the feces, in case anyone recognize it. These worms weren't there before, and this is the first time I have ever seen them. I guess it's about time when they start to show up. It's all wet and humid around here these last couple of days.

bizzarbazzar · July 1, 2007

My opinion is it would be in the family of the cabbage white butterfly and depending on the county you are in could be one of several. This is a great informational website that may help you ID it

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/m...83&y=128&_fc=1

I hope that helps a bit

sooby77 · July 1, 2007

Looks about right. I'll try BT on my arugulas and see if it works. Thanks for your help. I've not sprayed my tomatoes and and probably won't until I see them. I don't want to go spraying until absolutely necessary.

Dianne Gregory · July 7, 2007

We found a HUGE hornworm (as big as my pinky with scat the size of a rabbit's) on our Eggplant! Nothing on the tomatoes yet (growing nearby) but I expect to see the signs any day now. Last summer I picked 18 hornworms off of our tomatoes (about 10 plants in a raised bed) in one day. Yuck!

bryanccfshr · July 8, 2007

I found 3 today as I was spraying my plants. A utility knfe razor(I carry for harvestsing large toms) sliced across the cats back seems to open them nicely leaving them to a slow death by dessication. I tried to pick and stomp but those suckers have a death grip si I found a slice across the back much easier) I hope the spinosad in my spray mix fixes the ones I didn't see and slice.

sooby77 · July 8, 2007

I did finally started seeing hornworm droppings and have started spraying with BT. Hopefully that will take care of them.

June 29, 2007	#1
sooby77 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: NC Posts: 48	Prelude to hornworm? Hi all, We just had a severe thunderstorm that went through and it knocked down couple of my tomato plants. So as I was checking on them, I look at my arugula bed that was growing on my window sill and saw these having a party. What are they? Are they baby hornworm? I don't see any horn on them. Will BT take care of them? Thanks for any advice. Soo North Raleigh, NC

June 30, 2007	#3
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Whatever type of worm it is, its eating your arugula-there is a trail of worm feces in your second photo-bt should take care of them-there are never just one-make sure you spray your tomatoes also cause they are there too. __________________ Michael

June 30, 2007	#2
bizzarbazzar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 811	The top pic is rather difficult for me to see your "hornless hornworm", but several hornworm species do not actually have horns and some lose them and develop an "eye". I wish you had a better pic of the frass as it would help in deciding if indeed your caterpillar is in the same family. The majority of the Hornworms do not cause much damage to plants except for the tomato and the tobacco species which are the 2 to be concerned with as the others do not feed on tomatoes/tomato plants but have been found on them. Both of which indeed do have horns. Both tobacco and tomato hornworms when they hatch (at the 1st instar) have a horn that seem disproportionately large as they sort of "grow into" their horn. Does your caterpillar have any markings at all or is he indeed a solid green as he appears to be vaguely in the picture.

July 1, 2007	#5
bizzarbazzar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Butte, MT Posts: 811	My opinion is it would be in the family of the cabbage white butterfly and depending on the county you are in could be one of several. This is a great informational website that may help you ID it http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/m...83&y=128&_fc=1 I hope that helps a bit

July 7, 2007	#7
Dianne Gregory Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 6	We found a HUGE hornworm (as big as my pinky with scat the size of a rabbit's) on our Eggplant! Nothing on the tomatoes yet (growing nearby) but I expect to see the signs any day now. Last summer I picked 18 hornworms off of our tomatoes (about 10 plants in a raised bed) in one day. Yuck!

July 8, 2007	#8
bryanccfshr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Farmington, Nm Posts: 450	I found 3 today as I was spraying my plants. A utility knfe razor(I carry for harvestsing large toms) sliced across the cats back seems to open them nicely leaving them to a slow death by dessication. I tried to pick and stomp but those suckers have a death grip si I found a slice across the back much easier) I hope the spinosad in my spray mix fixes the ones I didn't see and slice.