Bugs or Birds?

kwselke · May 21, 2013

I've never quite seen damage like this to a tomato fruit and need help figuring out if it was done by a bird or a worm of some type. I have never seen a bird do such clean holes or worms penetrate that deep into a fruit. Should I dust with BT or guard with BBs? Well right now I'm out of BT, but I do have Spinosad on hand. The fruit is a golf ball size Bush Early Girl. Thanks!

kath · May 21, 2013

In my experience, birds usually attack fruits with color and this damage looks just like that which I've seen caused by a hornworm...so one vote for Bt. If it hasn't rained recently, you may be able to find dark droppings in the location of the damaged tomatoes.

kath

AprilMayJune · May 21, 2013

I'm still a relative newbie, but that looks pretty similar to the tomato damage I saw from hornworms last summer. I'd take a good look at your plants....they are really easy to miss despite being gigantic because they're so well-camouflaged.

kwselke · May 21, 2013

Thanks folks. I just hit my four plants with Spinosad. If I see more damage I'll buy some BT. Spinosad does a wonderful job of keeping my Leaf Miner problem in check, but for larger worms and caterpillars I''ve always depended on BT. Rain is forecast for the next 24 to 36 hours here, so BT would probably wash away anyway.

kurt · May 21, 2013

A lot of times some hornworms will bury thierselves back into the ground during the day.If you do not see them hiding during the day you might have to do the "midnight flashlight check".Flooding the ground will flush them out during the day also if you have the time and patience.

DogsandDirt · May 22, 2013

Tomato fruitworm?

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/v...ato-fruitworm/

kwselke · May 23, 2013

I found one of the critters this morning. It was a corn ear worm AKA tomato fruit worm. I dusted down all the plants. D... worms!

May 21, 2013	#5
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,503	A lot of times some hornworms will bury thierselves back into the ground during the day.If you do not see them hiding during the day you might have to do the "midnight flashlight check".Flooding the ground will flush them out during the day also if you have the time and patience. __________________ KURT

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May 21, 2013	#2
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	In my experience, birds usually attack fruits with color and this damage looks just like that which I've seen caused by a hornworm...so one vote for Bt. If it hasn't rained recently, you may be able to find dark droppings in the location of the damaged tomatoes. kath

May 21, 2013	#3
AprilMayJune Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Zone 5 Posts: 63	I'm still a relative newbie, but that looks pretty similar to the tomato damage I saw from hornworms last summer. I'd take a good look at your plants....they are really easy to miss despite being gigantic because they're so well-camouflaged.

May 21, 2013	#4
kwselke Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 172	Thanks folks. I just hit my four plants with Spinosad. If I see more damage I'll buy some BT. Spinosad does a wonderful job of keeping my Leaf Miner problem in check, but for larger worms and caterpillars I''ve always depended on BT. Rain is forecast for the next 24 to 36 hours here, so BT would probably wash away anyway.

May 22, 2013	#6
DogsandDirt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Dallas/FortWorth, TX Posts: 116	Tomato fruitworm? http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/v...ato-fruitworm/

May 23, 2013	#7
kwselke Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 172	I found one of the critters this morning. It was a corn ear worm AKA tomato fruit worm. I dusted down all the plants. D... worms!