On My Tomato Plants

[Captain Rich]

These going to become butterflies or moths ??

[dfish28]

Mothra!!! Good weakfish bait

[Wilson]

Originally Posted by Captain Rich Adler

These going to become butterflies or moths ??

As plants near maturity, they can be attacked by hornworms. These sphinx moth larvae grow to the size of your thumb and can quickly strip a tomato plant of all foliage, even noshing on the unripe fruit. To find them, follow the trails of frass — little, green pellets that used to be your tomato plant’s leaves. Hornworms are easiest to spot in early morning, before they crawl to shadier parts of the tomato plant. Pick the ugly critters by hand and toss them into a pail of soapy water.
If you find a hornworm with rows of what look like rice grains growing out of its back, leave it alone. It has been attacked by a parasitic wasp that will eventually kill the caterpillar and multiply, providing more pest protection next year!

[Captain Rich]

Originally Posted by Wilson

As plants near maturity, they can be attacked by hornworms. These sphinx moth larvae grow to the size of your thumb and can quickly strip a tomato plant of all foliage, even noshing on the unripe fruit. To find them, follow the trails of frass — little, green pellets that used to be your tomato plant’s leaves. Hornworms are easiest to spot in early morning, before they crawl to shadier parts of the tomato plant. Pick the ugly critters by hand and toss them into a pail of soapy water.
If you find a hornworm with rows of what look like rice grains growing out of its back, leave it alone. It has been attacked by a parasitic wasp that will eventually kill the caterpillar and multiply, providing more pest protection next year!

Thanks, found out they are tomato hornworms, big suckers!

[Taxman]

As the tomato ripens, they will eat around the top. They cause the circle / ring damage.

[vinntastic]

RING WORM

[NJ Dave]

Originally Posted by Captain Rich Adler

These going to become butterflies or moths ??

Yes they will but not before they ruin your entire crop.
Kill em before they kill your plants.

[Lard Almighty]

Same thing happened to my parsley plants last year. They got hit by tiger swallowtail butterfly caterpillars.

[Wilson]

Originally Posted by Lard Almighty

Same thing happened to my parsley plants last year. They got hit by tiger swallowtail butterfly caterpillars.

They add great flavor to your food
Nice pix though

[Captain Rich]

Wouldn't mind if I got swalllowtails, but sphinx moths ??