With this hot summer, hornworms have been out in force earlier than normal.
While admiring the tomato fruits in my garden recently, I stumbled upon some damage to the tops of the plants. They were defoliated, almost like a deer had mulched on them, and the fruit was chewed too. After closer inspection I came face-to-face with the tomato hornworm.
This time of year, tomato hornworms are attacking tomatoes, nicotiana, peppers and solanaceous weeds. This caterpillar can grow up to six inches long and is round like a cigar. It's actually the larval form of the grey/brown hummingbird or sphinx moth we often see buzzing around flowers in summer. With a four to five inch wingspan, this moth is pretty obvious.
With this hot summer, hornworms have been out in force earlier than normal. Since they're well-camouflaged, it's often shocking to run into a tomato hornworm on a tomato branch munching away. I can swear I almost hear them crunching on the leaves and fruits with their sharp teeth! Actually, they aren't harmful to us, but they can defoliate a plant and damage young fruits.
To control this green pest, hand-pick individuals and drop them into a pail of soapy water. For big infestations, you can also spray Bacillus thuriengensis or Thuricide on the plants to kill them. Of course, you could grill up a batch of fried green tomato hornworms for dinner, too, or just feed them to your chickens.
If you happen to see white protrusions on the back of your hornworm, leave it. These are the cocoons of the braconid wasp. It's a parasitic wasp that will kill the hornworm once they hatch and infect more hornworms.
Next week on the Connecticut Garden Journal, I'll be talking about asters. Until then, I'll be seeing you in the garden.
