Caterpillars on tomato leaves!

[jayjaybee]

So what's your opinion Jen?

It must be the lesser breasted greater crested creepy crawly , but other than that not a clue, I vote the hungry caterpillar, now I'm off t bed.

[poly]

Sounds likely it's the tomato moth. I've had problems with them munching away on my tomatoes the last few years. I've noticed both green and fawny-brown caterpillars, both I think are the tomato moth. They are not easy to spot and often the first signs they are about is the 'poo' they deposit!
They also eat holes in your tomatoes lots of them I usually try and squish them if I find them, but as mentioned they are pretty nifty at dropping to a lower branch or the floor.

[jayjaybee]

Hey VC there was actually someone taking you seriously and you have an answer. Isn't life amazing! I do love this forum.

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Poly .
Descriptions of Tomato Moths seem few - but finally found this, which seems to be the one both you and Zaz refer to Pests and Deseases: show and Bright-line Brown-eye Lacanobia oleracea - UKMoths
Not an outstanding moth to spot

[veggiechicken]

Hey VC there was actually someone taking you seriously and you have an answer. Isn't life amazing! I do love this forum.

I'm amazed that anyone takes me seriously There's a first time for everything

[jayjaybee]

Earlier on, having enjoyed the banter, in the the definite knowlege that my toms had not been consorting with moths... guess what, green baby caterpillars and a tom plant with holes in its leaves. Quite honestly caterpillars and I do not have a good relationship. I spend at least 1/2 hour a night hunting the bladdy things on my cabbages and now have to inspect the tomatoes. They say insects will eventually take over the world, I think they already have.

[veggiechicken]

You know the caterpillars I promised to care for until death do us part - well it did There was no sign of life in the yogurt tub after the day I put them in there
I have a relaxed attitude towards caterpillars - I rarely look for them - if I do its just out of curiosity! Today I watched the Cabbage Whites on the brassicas, just observing how they selected a leaf, wondering why one was good and another not so good. With the kales, they seem to prefer the smooth leaved ones to the wrinkly leaves. I s'pose you could say that about people too

[Martin H]

Today I watched the Cabbage Whites on the brassicas, just observing how they selected a leaf, wondering why one was good and another not so good.

I read once that they won't lay eggs on the first leaf they land on. It protects against wasting eggs when there isn't enough food nearby. So they land and taste, then land on another leaf and taste that too, then they'll probably lay an egg on the next one if that's a cabbage as well.

Don't know if it's true or not though.

[leonmc0708]

Got some on my egg plants and I can confirm they scarper into the soil

[veggiechicken]

I didn't see them laying any eggs but I'll check tomorrow I've only found one cluster of eggs all year and there must be 30 or so brassicas in one spot - not netted. There are some holey leaves but the thing I've noticed is that, each time I go there, there are blackbirds hopping around the plants. I'm hoping that they are finding the caterpillars before they do much damage.

[Tripmeup]

I have some small green caterpillars on a couple of my chillies now.. Damn them...

[jayjaybee]

I didn't see them laying any eggs but I'll check tomorrow I've only found one cluster of eggs all year and there must be 30 or so brassicas in one spot - not netted. There are some holey leaves but the thing I've noticed is that, each time I go there, there are blackbirds hopping around the plants. I'm hoping that they are finding the caterpillars before they do much damage.

I've never found eggs, just very fat, self satisfied caterpillars. Not even sure what to look for in the egg department, must google. VC do you get any cabbages that are fit to eat?!

[clairebear]

Just discovered we've got loads of these moth caterpillars on our tomatoes in a plastic greenhouse. Just caught one munching it's way through a ripe Orange Berry tomato! I'm assuming that when we had the door open in the warm weather the moths have just sauntered in. Am I right in thinking there's nothing to prevent them other than a fine netting over the doorway?

[rustylady]

Look what I found today

[BigV]

The tomato eating caterpillar is alive and well and now includes chillies and leaves in its diet.I shall fumigate my green house when crops are finished as the little blighters have decimated a lot of my toms