Hornworm Hunting :(

WildLife · July 28, 2008

It looks like I need to search for a horn worm.
I see droppings, no real damage.
Plant is a ML healthy thick with leaves.
I might find more fruit. LOL

gssgarden · July 28, 2008

Where there is poop, there's a hornworm. Little B#^&@#s!!!
I found them morning, noon, and night chomping away. Mauled Eggplant and Peppers too.
One was about 3-4 inches!! Called it a Hornworm-a-saurus.

Greg

Worth1 · July 28, 2008

It may have already pupated and gone to ground.

If you sit back and look at the plants you will find many of them.
Don't look for the worms look at the plants then you will see the worms.
Sounds strange but it works.

Worth

WildLife · July 28, 2008

Well scored 5 of those little buggers.
3 ginormous and 2 mediums.
I still get the willies handling those thangs.

Only the one plant so far.
I see their work now that I look close.

Did find a new truss with 3 toms.

tlcmd · July 28, 2008

Dill will not harm hornworms, but can be used as a trapcrop. The hornworms usually prefer dill, so if planted near tomatoes they will more to it and they are much easier to "harvest" from dill than tomatoes.

steinpilz · July 28, 2008

I found one today with the wasp eggs on its back. Maybe there really is justice in the world.

TZ-OH6 · July 28, 2008

I've found three little bitty ones (inchworm size), so my search pattern was off when I found and removed a nearly chewed through top. I pinched off the top and tossed it to the side, on my return trip down the row a three inch worm was crawling off of it. He's a pet now. He eats less than the deer.

johno · July 29, 2008

They are usually Arkansas size (3"-4") by the time I notice them. After I see the first one, I just look for missing leaves; I think that's what Worth meant?

I saw the first one two or three days ago, and happened to be packin' pyrethrum/rotenone at the time. I sprayed it right in the face!

matereater · July 29, 2008

I always look for the 'fresh' poo then go up from there, usually gets me in the right general area. Noticed a leaf on a Hillbilly that was chewed a little, but only in spots, looked underneath and there was a little one bout an inch long, he was the first of the year (and hopefully last)

gssgarden · July 29, 2008

On the hunt. AGAIN!!!

Greg

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bbb123 · July 29, 2008

OMG I have one Brandywine plant that has had that happening to it for a week now. Yesterday it got my biggest tomato I thought a deer got in the garden.

ctx00978 · July 29, 2008

Last Saturday was my big hornworm day. I found 12 just chomping away at the upper foliage of 12 different plants. The little buttheads.

bbb123 · July 30, 2008

I can't find any I looked several times during the day and I even went out with the flashlight last night. It seems like there is only 1 or 2 of them I notice new damage every 2 or 3 days.

matereater · July 30, 2008

Look for the fresh "poo" and go up from there.

July 28, 2008	#1
WildLife Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach, Calif Posts: 144	Hornworm Hunting :( It looks like I need to search for a horn worm. I see droppings, no real damage. Plant is a ML healthy thick with leaves. I might find more fruit. LOL

July 28, 2008	#5
tlcmd Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Greensboro, N.C. Posts: 132	Dill will not harm hornworms, but can be used as a trapcrop. The hornworms usually prefer dill, so if planted near tomatoes they will more to it and they are much easier to "harvest" from dill than tomatoes. __________________ Harmmmmmmmmmoniously, Dick "If only Longstreet had followed orders......" "Show me something more beautiful than a beautiful woman and then I'll go paint it." Alberto Vargas

July 29, 2008	#8
johno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arkansas zone 6b Posts: 441	They are usually Arkansas size (3"-4") by the time I notice them. After I see the first one, I just look for missing leaves; I think that's what Worth meant? I saw the first one two or three days ago, and happened to be packin' pyrethrum/rotenone at the time. I sprayed it right in the face! __________________ You create your own universe as you go along. Winston Churchill

July 29, 2008	#9
matereater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: S.E. Michigan (Livonia) Posts: 1,264	I always look for the 'fresh' poo then go up from there, usually gets me in the right general area. Noticed a leaf on a Hillbilly that was chewed a little, but only in spots, looked underneath and there was a little one bout an inch long, he was the first of the year (and hopefully last) __________________ Steve Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

July 29, 2008	#11
bbb123 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: ny Posts: 72	OMG I have one Brandywine plant that has had that happening to it for a week now. Yesterday it got my biggest tomato I thought a deer got in the garden. __________________ NY

July 28, 2008	#2
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,827	Where there is poop, there's a hornworm. Little B#^&@#s!!! I found them morning, noon, and night chomping away. Mauled Eggplant and Peppers too. One was about 3-4 inches!! Called it a Hornworm-a-saurus. Greg

July 28, 2008	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	It may have already pupated and gone to ground. If you sit back and look at the plants you will find many of them. Don't look for the worms look at the plants then you will see the worms. Sounds strange but it works. Worth

July 28, 2008	#6
steinpilz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 5	I found one today with the wasp eggs on its back. Maybe there really is justice in the world.

July 28, 2008	#7
TZ-OH6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mid-Ohio Posts: 848	I've found three little bitty ones (inchworm size), so my search pattern was off when I found and removed a nearly chewed through top. I pinched off the top and tossed it to the side, on my return trip down the row a three inch worm was crawling off of it. He's a pet now. He eats less than the deer.

July 29, 2008	#10
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,827	On the hunt. AGAIN!!! Greg 005.jpg

July 29, 2008	#12
ctx00978 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 82	Last Saturday was my big hornworm day. I found 12 just chomping away at the upper foliage of 12 different plants. The little buttheads.

July 30, 2008	#13
bbb123 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: ny Posts: 72	I can't find any I looked several times during the day and I even went out with the flashlight last night. It seems like there is only 1 or 2 of them I notice new damage every 2 or 3 days. __________________ NY