Tomato-Eating Caterpillar !!!

[Barking Postlethwaite]

Over the years we have lost greenhouse tomatoes to many weird & wonderful pests and diseases, but never before to caterpillars like the little blighter in the picture. Up to an inch long and either pale brown or pale green with a yellowish stripe down the sides, they burrow into the green tomatoes and hollow them out.

Anybody else had this? Does anybody know what they are and how to get rid of / prevent infestations like this in the future?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Think it could well be a tomato moth caterpillar treat as any other type of caterpillar.

Potty

[Pineberry]

I have seen few toms on the plot last week with this sort of damage but put it down to nothing special. Now I will look for the offender.

Does it mean we have to net toms too now?

[Florence Fennel]

I've despatched many tiny snails and slugs from the fruits of my tomatoes this morning. Never seen one of those caterpillars before though. Thanks, I'll keep my eyes open and the scissors ever handy.

[Barking Postlethwaite]

Indeed, a quick Google does suggest that tomato moth caterpillar (dull UK version; not to be confused with more exciting US hawk moth equivalent) is the culprit. I confess I'd never heard of it before.

Destructive and elusive to track down and pick off, apparently.

Wonderful.

A new thing to worry about

[Potstubsdustbins]

Look out for it's poo on the leaves it's quite a give away.

Potty

[Bill HH]

Funny you should mention this, last year I had one of those small plastic green houses (not so much a house as a bed sit) and i just squeezed in six tomatoe plants, They did well and had loads of tomatoes until those nasty caterpillars struck, they muched their way through the lot. There were thousands of them! In the end I paid a lad 10p per caterpiller and he earned £15! I consulted my knowlegable garden center and they said Tomatoes dont get caterpillars!!! So far this year I have escaped them but my Tomatoes are in a proper greenhouse now. maybe thats the reason.

Bill

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

You was robbed Bill, I'd have done it for 5p per squish.

[Tripmeup]

Indeed, a quick Google does suggest that tomato moth caterpillar (dull UK version; not to be confused with more exciting US hawk moth equivalent) is the culprit. I confess I'd never heard of it before.

Destructive and elusive to track down and pick off, apparently.

Wonderful.

A new thing to worry about

Think they the same ones that attended to my chilli's... Tough buggers to find too...

[zazen999]

Funny you should mention this, last year I had one of those small plastic green houses (not so much a house as a bad sit) and i just squeezed in six tomatoe plants, They did well and had loads of tomatoes until those nasty caterpillars struck, they muched their way through the lot. There were thousands of them! In the end I paid a lad 10p per caterpiller and he earned £15! I consulted my knowlegable garden center and they said Tomatoes dont get caterpillars!!! So far this year I have escaped them but my Tomatoes are in a proper greenhouse now. maybe thats the reason.

Bill

Don't bet on it, I found some in the poly yesterday. Going to be cutting back foliage and cutting caterpillars in half next time I'm there.

[kathyd]

Oops, I found 2 caterpillars amongst my toms in the porch recently, felt sorry for them and put them back thinking they'd not do any harm 'cos caterpillars don't eat tomatoes! Ack!!

Interestingly, I'd planted french marigolds along with my toms in their pots, and just about every leaf has been eaten - not the flowers, just the leaves - but so far the toms appear to be OK.. wonder if it's the caterpillars or something else? Either way, I'd best go have a good look at my plants later ...

[Irish-Veg]

had a similar problem in my greenhouse tiny pale green caterpillars nomming on the foliage, all i'm doing atm is the squish-squash method

[Bill HH]

Zazen999, Tragicaly you were right, they are back! I found seven this morning.Three ruined tomatoes too. They are very hard to find. The black poo drops given them away somewhat but still they manage to hide in curled leaves etc. I have noticed the large ones lie along a leaf vein in the day, it makes them almost unspotable. I have found that lying down and viewing the leaves from below is a useful plan, you can see the caterpillar on the top side of the leaf if its sunny. I am just hoping I dont get the mega infestation that I did last year.

[alldigging]

Found one today.
Gong to have t have a good look again tomorrow now though.

[bario1]

Caterpillars on tomato plants

Anyone know what these are? They're about 5mm long, and eating the leaves on my tomato plants and aubergines in the polytunnel.