How Does a Hornworm Damage Tomatoes?
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Deposit of Eggs
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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
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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 plant. As the larvae grows, it is easy to spot. Telltale signs on a plant are leaves that look like bites have been taken out of them.
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Continuing the Cycle
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Larvae that are not removed will burrow into loose soil around plants and pupate. In the pupa stage, they do not eat or harm the roots of the plant. The danger is that, if left alone, they will increase the population of hornworms in the garden before harvest. Within 2 weeks, the adult moth will emerge, mate and lay eggs, thus continuing the cycle.
A Gardener's Defense
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The only way to decrease the breeding of hornworms in your garden and prevent damage to the plants is to pluck the larvae off of the plants and destroy them. Because they are well camouflaged, they are difficult to spot until they are full-grown. The enemy of the tomato hornworm is the wasp; if larvae are found with what appears to be white, oval eggs on the caterpillar's back, they should be left alone on the plant. These eggs are parasitic wasp eggs laid on the back of the hornworm, and when they hatch the wasps will feed on the hornworms, providing the best natural pest control through these insects. Birds are also useful in controlling the damage of hornworms as they feed on the larvae and the pupa.
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Resources
- Photo Credit dragonaria at sxc.hu
