Tomato Hornworm question

babice · August 13, 2012

Well, I feel like an official member of the club now. I saw my first tomato hornworm yesterday. I saw specks of doo doo and looked under the leaf above. At first all I saw was this white thing with a horn sticking out. As a hunch, though, I took off the whole leaf and looked at it --- and there was also a green hornworm (no white stuff on it). So, of course I squished the live green one.

My question - they say to leave the white ones alone because they're probably encased in pupae of parasitic wasps that will help control the hornworms. So when you find one with the white on it within 1-2 inches from a live green one, should you also leave the live green one alone for the wasps to eventually get?

August 13, 2012	#1
babice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Alabama Posts: 643	Tomato Hornworm question Well, I feel like an official member of the club now. I saw my first tomato hornworm yesterday. I saw specks of doo doo and looked under the leaf above. At first all I saw was this white thing with a horn sticking out. As a hunch, though, I took off the whole leaf and looked at it --- and there was also a green hornworm (no white stuff on it). So, of course I squished the live green one. My question - they say to leave the white ones alone because they're probably encased in pupae of parasitic wasps that will help control the hornworms. So when you find one with the white on it within 1-2 inches from a live green one, should you also leave the live green one alone for the wasps to eventually get?