Hornworms

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Labradors
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Hornworms

#1

Post: # 50428Unread post Labradors
Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:05 pm

I spotted a dreaded hornworm on a Lucky Tiger leaf this morning. It was just a young one, about half an inch long, but I knew that I had to search for more. I found a bigger one on the Green Tiger plant next door which means that more than one batch of eggs was laid. A second trip to the garden yielded two more small caterpillars and a slightly bigger one on Blush, which is in a different row. So far, the plants with Potato Leaves don't seem to be popular.

I'd love to know if the eggs are laid in a clutch, or individually on different food plants. Guess I have my work cut out searching for these blighters every time I visit my tomatoes now. Last year, their droppings showed up before I spotted any caterpillars as I had some red plastic mulch around my plants. I didn't find that many caterpillars yet my plants survived :).

Linda

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karstopography
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Re: Hornworms

#2

Post: # 50430Unread post karstopography
Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:16 pm

Single eggs.

Here’s a link.

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/spe ... uemaculata

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant- ... iensis.htm

B.t. Works really well against these pests.
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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Labradors
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Re: Hornworms

#3

Post: # 50433Unread post Labradors
Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:43 pm

Thanks Karstopography, I guess they lay them "singly" on different plants just to make my life more difficult!

BT would certainly be the answer........

Linda

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rdback
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Re: Hornworms

#4

Post: # 50460Unread post rdback
Wed Jul 14, 2021 10:49 am

A friend told me about using a black light flashlight at night to find them. I haven't tried it personally, but I hear it works. The flashlight can be found on Amazon for less than $20.

https://giantveggiegardener.com/2016/09 ... -at-night/

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Labradors
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Re: Hornworms

#5

Post: # 50461Unread post Labradors
Wed Jul 14, 2021 10:57 am

Thanks rdback. I bought one on Amazon last year, but it turned out to be very small and was really difficult to use as it only illuminated a small area at a time. Not that I wouldn't use it though! I went out again in the evening, just before the storm, and found two more on different plants for a total of seven :).

Linda

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Tormato
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Re: Hornworms

#6

Post: # 50595Unread post Tormato
Fri Jul 16, 2021 12:59 pm

I haven't seen a hornworm in about 5 years (fingers crossed).

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Labradors
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Re: Hornworms

#7

Post: # 50596Unread post Labradors
Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:03 pm

I hadn't seen them in years either Tormato, then I had a few last year. I've found 11 as of today......

Linda

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Re: Hornworms

#8

Post: # 50598Unread post Gardadore
Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:19 pm

Hornworms haven’t appeared yet this summer but we have those special wasps that lay eggs on them which helps a lot to kill them before they get too far along.

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Labradors
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Re: Hornworms

#9

Post: # 50600Unread post Labradors
Fri Jul 16, 2021 1:37 pm

Braconid wasps. Yep. They can do a number on hornworms, but it's a slow and horrid death.

Linda

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Amateurinawe
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Re: Hornworms

#10

Post: # 50627Unread post Amateurinawe
Sat Jul 17, 2021 1:46 am

[mention]Labradors[/mention] Quite a lot of the natural insect world is full of what we think of as a horrid death. The slow eating from within sounds awful. If there are aliens out there, let's hope they're not of insect lineage..
The behaviour of light means you observe me as i was then, and not as I am now.
I cannot change history, so I do hope i gave you a good impression of myself

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bower
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Re: Hornworms

#11

Post: # 50853Unread post bower
Tue Jul 20, 2021 2:28 pm

AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
temperate marine climate
yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm

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Ginger2778
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Re: Hornworms

#12

Post: # 50920Unread post Ginger2778
Wed Jul 21, 2021 4:18 pm

Tormato wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 12:59 pm I haven't seen a hornworm in about 5 years (fingers crossed).
Ok, now you're just showing off.😜😬😞
- Marsha

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HL2601
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Re: Hornworms

#13

Post: # 50932Unread post HL2601
Wed Jul 21, 2021 8:54 pm

So a question for you all-
Is this a baby hornworm? They are munching holes and have been found on the underside of leaves. Have never encountered this size worm but certainly have had the large hornworms.
Image
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MissS
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Re: Hornworms

#14

Post: # 50938Unread post MissS
Wed Jul 21, 2021 9:44 pm

No those are not hornworms they are scoops which do plenty of damage. As they get larger they will start to eat the blossoms and fruit.
~ Patti ~

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Ginger2778
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Re: Hornworms

#15

Post: # 50939Unread post Ginger2778
Wed Jul 21, 2021 9:56 pm

Screenshot_20210721-225440.png
HL2601 wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 8:54 pm So a question for you all-
Is this a baby hornworm? They are munching holes and have been found on the underside of leaves. Have never encountered this size worm but certainly have had the large hornworms.
Image
Yes indeed, these are 1st tomato hornworm instars. The little black horn, the body stripes, and the green color are dead giveaways.I found this great photo of various instate in a hornworm's life cycle.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
- Marsha

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HL2601
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Re: Hornworms

#16

Post: # 50956Unread post HL2601
Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:38 am

Whao-great picture! Thank you for posting!
They sure are devastating even in this small form.
I'll be out there again today picking them then transplanting far far away. If they are out of control I guess it may come to BT but I would like to avoid...

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Ginger2778
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Re: Hornworms

#17

Post: # 50958Unread post Ginger2778
Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:50 am

HL2601 wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:38 am Whao-great picture! Thank you for posting!
They sure are devastating even in this small form.
I'll be out there again today picking them then transplanting far far away. If they are out of control I guess it may come to BT but I would like to avoid...
Glad you like the picture. Dont worry too much about BT, it is completely harmless, organic accepted, and it's just bacteria commonly found in nature. It is totally safe for bees and other pollinators, pets, us, its only deadly if you are a caterpillar. They eat It and get an infection, they immediately stop eating because it upsets their digestive system, and they die in about a day.
- Marsha

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pondgardener
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Re: Hornworms

#18

Post: # 50959Unread post pondgardener
Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:51 am

[mention]HL2601[/mention] I'm about 100 miles south of you and fortunately have had no hornworms or caterpillars on any of my tomatoes for quite a few years. I had never heard of "scoops" but what little I found on a search could indicate that. I may have to start looking closer at my tomatoes as well...

https://en.tomathouse.com/borba-s-gusenicej-sovkoj.html
It's not what you gather, but what you scatter, that tells what kind of life you have lived.

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karstopography
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Re: Hornworms

#19

Post: # 50961Unread post karstopography
Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:25 am

I second B.T. as a great targeted Hornworm stopper. Monterrey brand is what I use. One liter handheld plastic solo brand sprayer set to a fine mist like spray. One gallon of mixed solution will cover 20 large mature tomato plants with some left over. I believe it is .75 ounces concentrate/gallon, whatever the label says. Not a “chemical” insecticide (everything is a chemical), but works like charm. I pick off the hornworms as I see them when there’s one or two, but the BT takes care of heavy infestations, those worms being very difficult to spot with those bizarre camouflage markings.
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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Ginger2778
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Re: Hornworms

#20

Post: # 50962Unread post Ginger2778
Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:49 am

karstopography wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:25 am I second B.T. as a great targeted Hornworm stopper. Monterrey brand is what I use. One liter handheld plastic solo brand sprayer set to a fine mist like spray. One gallon of mixed solution will cover 20 large mature tomato plants with some left over. I believe it is .75 ounces concentrate/gallon, whatever the label says. Not a “chemical” insecticide (everything is a chemical), but works like charm. I pick off the hornworms as I see them when there’s one or two, but the BT takes care of heavy infestations, those worms being very difficult to spot with those bizarre camouflage markings.
And the added advantage to spraying BT, it doesn't need super thorough coverage because they eat a lot of the leaf, so they only need to ingest a few bacteria, then those multiply inside the caterpillar. Just spray well, but dont get "obsessive ", lol!
- Marsha

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