How Do You Manage And Eliminate The Tomato Hornworm?
The tomato hornworm is the grubby little nemesis of all tomato gardeners everywhere. The scenario is common: You’re away from your garden for a few days… only to return, finding a # of your plants devoured. At a minimum, this will turn your plant into a very unsightly specimen. At worst that plant will be severely crippled for the remainder of its growing season. Understand the predator’s lifecycle: The tomato hornworm is the larvae of the brown and gray hawk moth (also known by some as the sphinx moth). These insects are found throughout the entire continental United States, southern Canada and even in the northern parts of Mexico. The moth lays its eggs on the underside of your tomato plant’s leaves. The larvae normally hatches a few days later. After destroying a % of your plant, the worm will burrow into the soil, re-emerging next spring (sooner in warmer climates) as an adult, ready to start the whole cycle over again. Pick your control method: The most common method is to just
