Something has been killing off some of my tomato plant leaves and cutting off the blossoms!
No blossoms means no tomatoes and I figured that it was a Cutworm of some kind!
Now, I don't use insecticides or bug killers on any of my plants! My choice, but I think that Mother Nature does better without any chemical help. I don't mind a bit plucking off the little creepy crawlers by hand when I find them, but I was more than a little shocked when I finally found the culprit!
This was without a doubt, the biggest hornworm I ever saw! This sucker had to be about 3 inches long...and as big around as a cigar!
Well, maybe not quite that big, but BIG! Must be some healthy plants I am growing, because he certainly looked well fed! Anyway, I pried him off my plant, and threw him over my back fence to where he will become a good meal for the birds! At least, I hope that's the case!
Pulled the first tomato off the patio tomato bush! Looks good enough to eat! (Sorry, but I couldn't resist that one...) Been picking Cheyenne peppers as well! Gonna be a lot of them, but I can always dry a bunch!
Okra is ready to start picking in a day or so! Good in soups or just fried up! All in all, I guess the garden is doing pretty good! Too bad I can't figure out how to grow some hamburger while I'm at it!
Let's get some fresh coffee and sit on the patio. No more rain for a while, I'm afraid!
20 comments:
Nice little monster. We just started planting up here in the Great White North. Still snow in the mountains.
That is one nasty looking worm. Bet they would make great bait for the trout. don't know if you saw that blog.
Coffee on the patio it is. Finished painting the porch so its time to buy my fishing license.
Hey Jim, plant some Borage in between your tomatoes. Those nasty little worms hate it. We're still trying to dry out from the floods here.
Hey Sixbears...
We've already had temps in the 90s a couple of times, and the daily temps has been around 85 or so on the average!
Gonna be a heck of a storm season, I'm afraid!
Thanks for coming over this morning, my friend!
Hey JoJo...
I hope some use can be found for this rascal somewhere other than in my garden!
Glad you finished the painting and now can go fishing with a clear conscience!
Thanks, sweetie, for coming by this morning!
Hey MMpaints...
I haven't heard about that one! I'll hqave to try it!
Thanks for the tip and for dropping in today!
We are envious of your first ripe tomato there. Still freezing at night here so our tomato plants are in pots and we bring them into the garage at night. Thanks for reminding us of the bugs to come!
Hey 2 Tramps...
Just seems to me that everything is doing better here than ever before!
Must be my outstanding green thumb! (NOT)
Seriously, I hope all your plants get off to a good, productive season!
Thanks so much for coming by today!
We called those tomato worms, lol. Had 1 hiss at me one time. Think they turn into those beautiful luna moths.
Hey Trouble...
Whatever you call it, we can all agree that they are UGLY! Mean looking, too!
I half-way expected it to growl!
I can only hope that one was all there was, but I'm looking things over pretty well...just in case!
Thanks for coming by today!
Yikes! That is one big worm... Just starting our garden here, since it snowed last week, and didn't want to plant just to kill everything...glad your plants are doing well!
We have very few animals that destroys our tomato and potato plants here since they aren´t natural here :-)
Sometimes it´s good to live this far north :-) :-)
But I don´t dare putting out anything yet, the last night with frost usually comes around June sixth.
Have a great day!
Christer.
Hey Marie...
Sorry to hear about the snow last week! I can't imagine not being able to plant earlier than up north!
Hope you can get started pretty soon and that it does well!
Many thanks for coming by today!
Hey Christer...
Frost in June is something I won't have to worry about here!
In June, we are usually in the high 90's or even 100 degrees!
Hecik, I have planted some things in the garden in February before!
I really enjoyed your pictures of the woods on your blog this morning! Very nice!
Thanks, my friend, for coming by today!
I saw this worm on my brother's tomato plant. He said it is a Packsaddle yet shown in nature photos here: http://photo.net/photodb/member-photos?user_id=5147237&include=all&unlimit=1 , it looks nothing like yours. All I know is I got stung horribly when 7 years old by a packsaddle...didn't see it in the corn but Daddy saw it...the pain is something I've NEVER forgotten. I was fascinated with that one on my brother's plant. It looked me dead in the eye and challenged me to a Duel! It is beautiful, no doubt.
I have chives; now if I only had some eggs to scramble also.
Hey, Bubba - looks like I came back from vacation just in time! We aren't growing anything this year, but always have some nasties on our lemon and lime trees. Rod saw some 'gators on the golf course in Florida, but your friend is pretty ugly by himself.....
Glad to be home -
Big hugs -
Hey Sissy...
I have a few bad memories like that from my childhood! Right you are about them never going away!
I don't think I have ever seen one of the "packsaddle" worms like you mentioned, but I'll stay away if I do see one!
I should have planted some chives!
Thanks for coming by today!
Hey Sis...
Glad you made it home safely! Did you have a good time? I'm betting you have a lot of pictures!
Believe me when I say, only one of these to a family is plenty!
Thanks, Sis, for dropping in!
I really don't enjoy creepy crawlies! I hope those green dudes stay at your house, and don't visit mine!
Hey Marjie...
I'd be more than happy to share with you! That's the kind of guy I am...!
Really, I wouldn't share these with anyone. At least, anyone I like!
I really appreciate you coming by today!
That is a fat critter. Glad you found your 'mater snatcher!
Hey Craig Cavanaugh...
Good to see you again, my friend!
I'm glad to have this bad boy out of the way as well! I'm hoping this was the only one this size!
I really do thank you for coming by today!
My country grandpa used to call these "tomato worms" and he paid us a penny apiece to collect them in the garden. So we did -- in Mason jars, yikes. They stink, too, as I remember. Grandpa wasn't stingy, this was around 1950and pennies would actually buy something at the store down at Dougherty's Corners. Leslie (new reader of your blog.)
Argh, Giant Green Critters of Doooooom!!
Ahem.
Mister Hermit, sir, if you find another one and can spare a bit of plant, let it be and wait. There's a wasp that lays its eggs on the worms. The larva eat the worm, then hatch. It's fascinating, Nature's own population control. The worms become moths f they aren't eaten. Neat stuff...but not so nice when you'd like to eat the tomatoes rather than feed them to the criters.
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
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