Solanaceae family plants such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, pepper, tobacco, moonflower. Bt is safe and worked OK for me. Naturally occurring bacteria that attack caterpillars, but leavers beneficial insects alone, sprays made with BT are safe for your tomatoes and safe for the insects we want in our garden. Anyone in Gainesville have wedelia they want to get rid of. I found it at the corner hardware/feed and seed--not at Lowes. Bacillus thuringiensis, also called Bt, is a bacterial disease deadly to tomato worms and it is often sold as a biological control organism. Another option in a home garden if the infestation is not too great is to manually remove the caterpillars from the plant and toss them in a bucket filled with warm, soapy water. Here is a link that might be useful: TCLynx. Thanks, Tomncath. I'm a very new gardener and every morning that I go out to my failing tomato plants I see them covered in gross tomato hornworms. The trouble with them is that they are difficult to see. Sheri. This is a very minor issue since if some one turns out to be allergic, just keep them away while spraying is going on and stay away till it dries. Home » Tomato Hornworms: Wiping Out Manduca Quinquemaculata. Insecticidal soaps are a variety of mixtures that break down easily and quickly in the environment, that kill certain insects, and that are safe for use on plants, vegetables and fruits. Normally hornworms are not so bad that spraying is necessary. To do that, use floating row covers over your plants until they need to be removed for pollination. (normally grow in pots and not had problem). What is a tomato hornworm? Many people have found it difficult to grab that 3-4″ long worm and tug it free, because it hangs on for dear life. Potato Bugs: How To Wipe Out Leptinotarsa Decemlineata, 26 Cold Frame Plans For Your Winter Garden, United States, northwestern Mexico, and parts of southern Canada. Lacewings and ladybugs are also really useful when trying to kill tomato hornworms, because they happily eat the eggs that are on the bottom of leaves. Let’s go over some alternatives that you can use to combat this pest. Flanigan completed two writing courses at Pierpont Community and Technical College. Tilling your garden at the end of the harvest season can help reduce future hornworm populations. Once you have removed the floating row covers, you can use diatomaceous earth sprinkled on the leaves and stems of your plants as a repellent measure. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, Yardener: Controlling Hornworms wtih Insecticide, Colorado State University: Tomato/Tobacco Hornworms. Spray or dust Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt for short, on your tomato plants. Insecticidal soaps will also kill hornworms, but the pests need to come into direct contact with the substance. If you're looking to kill tomato hornworms without harming other beneficial insects, go the organic way! When applying, thoroughly coat the entire plant, taking special consideration to spray the underside of leaves, which is where many pests hide. Consider using Monterey BT spray, or BT which is short for Bacillus thuringiensis var. The hornworms will eat the Bt and begin to die within a few days. What this worm is, why it has white projections on its body, and why — if you ever see such a thing in your own garden — you should leave it alone: A quick Google search revealed the odd fellow is the Tomato Hornworm. University of Minnesota: Tomato Hornworms, Signs That a Tomato Plant Has Been Exposed to the Hornworm. It will die and fall off the plant, making it easy to dispose of. Beneficial insects can be used to control tomato worms without chemicals. See my post above. The only problem is, I can't find it at Lowe's anymore where I used to purchase it as Dipel dust. These bacteria serve as the active ingredient in some pesticides, but they can also be used on their own to kill tomato worms without harming beneficial insects or putting other wildlife at risk. Planting basil nearby will improve the flavor of your tomatoes while simultaneously repelling tomato hornworms, flies, mosquitos, and some other moths. They can also kill desirable insects that naturally control pest populations. Finally, marigold is a wonderful draw for all manner of beneficial insects, including parasitic wasps, and its aroma tends to repel or confuse most caterpillar species so they don’t move in. Horticultural oils can be applied while the plant is dormant or when the plant is in full bloom in the spring or summer months. I'll have to check the HD on West Oakland Park Blvd. I was fighting a major battle with the hornworm on about 8 plants. Control With Pyrethrin/Pyrethrum Insecticide
Beneficial predatory wasps are a major form of tomato hornworm control.