How Does a Hornworm Damage Tomatoes?
Deposit of Eggs During the late spring or early summer, the garden is visited by the beautiful hummingbird moth. This large, thick moth is brown with yellow spots on its abdomen, large mottled gray and brown translucent wings, and tufts of hair that actually resemble feathers. These are one of the few moths that fly during daylight hours. It is so large and beautiful, that from a distance or at quick glance, it can be confused with a baby hummingbird, hence its name. The moth itself will not damage plants, but will deposit small, pearl-like eggs on both the lower and upper surfaces of your tomato leaves. Hungry Larvae Within 6 days, the eggs hatch, and the larvae feed on the leaves of tomato plants, and sometimes on the fruit itself. The larva is a green caterpillar, or hornworm, with white and black markings, and can reach up to 3 to 4 inches in length. A few larvae cannot do serious damage to a tomato plant, but a larger number can consume enough leaves and stems to kill a tomato pla
