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It's eating my tomato plants! It's at least 4 inches long, and with that angry red tail, it's really creeping me out. Is it going to attack me while I'm sleeping? And what do I do about it? It surely has friends....
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Ugh!! I found one too!! Just today! Actually, I haven't spotted the lil' bugger yet but I spotted some half eaten tomatoes. It's a tomato hornworm. Get it off there and kill it!! I get the heebie jeebies with those things. All day long today, I've felt as though it was crawling on me....ick! I'm on my way outside to find it! The longer it's left there, the more babies it will have..hence more worms!! Good luck to you...and wish me luck..I'm on my way to a worm hunt!
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Meet Mr. Tomato Hornworn. I wouldn't call him slug-like, but he would love to eat your tomato plants. Squish him or feed him to some chickens...they love Hormworms. You might want to look into some Dipel Dust if you see more of them...a safe, natural product that kills only catterpillars. Meanwhile, it's more creepy looking than anything, you can sleep safely, except for worrying about your tomatoes. They don't bite or sting.
* * * * Dave Even my growlights are getting restless! Plants: 2290 | From: norman, ok | Registered: Apr 2005
| Seeded: 69.30.170.166
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Ok, he's gone, along with two of his friends. I think they were planning to eat my tomato plants as well as start moving funds around in my 401k. It's war.
I hope that does it, but if not, I'll look into the Dipel Dust.
posted
Found my fourth hornworm last night! Two have been covered and condemned by wasp larvae and the other two met their demise with my pruners. Man those things are hideously ugly!
* * * * John - Zone 6 Plants: 1068 | From: Connecticut | Registered: Aug 2005
| Seeded: 209.178.236.58
quote: Two have been covered and condemned by wasp larvae and the other two met their demise with my pruners.
Oh man...that grosses me out. If and when I do find them..I don't know what I will do with them. I can just see myself running at the first sight of them. My neighbour has been teasing me to squeeze them to death with my bare hands!! Not funny! Yuck!
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LOL. I wouldn't do that either. I have no problem pinching most bugs in my finger tips, but it's just not gonna happen with these mutants. And to think, I just adored seeing those hummingbird moths around my yard last year. This year they're gonna get wacked with my son's tennis racquet when I see them.
* * * * John - Zone 6 Plants: 1068 | From: Connecticut | Registered: Aug 2005
| Seeded: 209.178.236.58
I forgot to mention the part about you running in circles all around your yard while you're swinging...becoming tired and dizzy and finally spinning yourself to the ground.
quote:Originally posted by Thornius: If it's a disgusting slug-like thing, It's gotta be......ME!
Just thought of something, if this slug ends up being Thornius..I'm going to need an awfully big jar!! Oh this will be so much fun. I can invite all the neighbourhood kids over and we can make faces at him through the glass.
(Don't worry Thorny, we'll throw you saw raw meat from time to time..that is..if you're real good.)
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John & Christina I can't believe the two of you. I had green horn worms earlier and I had no problem squishing them to death or feeding them to the pet rooster.
When you grow tomatoes it is just one thing that you have to deal with every year, If you are checking on your garden/plants daily then the green horm worms can not do enough damage to ruin your crop before you find them...They are hard to see, and turn the same shade of green as the plant they are eating. Normally they hang upside down, like in the pictures. So you have to bend down and look up into your plants to find them...Look for the black poop on the leaves they leave behind also, then look above that area and areas close to where they have been eating..you will find them.
quote:John & Christina I can't believe the two of you. I had green horn worms earlier and I had no problem squishing them to death or feeding them to the pet rooster.
Oh..I was just kidding..they don't bother me at all. I was just trying to make John feel better.
posted
Christina, you are AWEFUL! Karma will get you, you know! I have, however, been wondering where Thorny has been lately! BTW, John, I don't think they're the same as hummingbird moths...are they? I think they're luna moths...could be wrong.
* * * * Dave Even my growlights are getting restless! Plants: 2290 | From: norman, ok | Registered: Apr 2005
| Seeded: 69.30.170.166
posted
There is post down in the pest section with links to what they look like and also the hummingbird moth..they are different...very interesting. Also so very interesting stuff about the horn worm.
quote:Originally posted by comfrey: John & Christina I can't believe the two of you. I had green horn worms earlier and I had no problem squishing them to death or feeding them to the pet rooster.
Thornius you better watch out, you're going to be Rooster food!!!!!
* * * * One OS to rule them, one OS to find them: One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie. Plants: 1077 | From: Haskell Oklahoma Zone 6b | Registered: Feb 2005
| Seeded: 152.132.9.73
posted
I have taken about 20 off in the past 2 weeks. YUK I cant handle the big ones... but the inch worm size i can pick off. They do not swim, so in a bucket of water they go. Unfortunately the birds don't eat the live ones fast enough.
Plants: 18 | From: massachusetts | Registered: Jun 2006
| Seeded: 71.162.65.163
posted
oh boy do I LOVE that picture you made Christina!! LOL LOL LOL That is too funny
Plants: 18 | From: massachusetts | Registered: Jun 2006
| Seeded: 71.162.65.163
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but that closeup photo made me run away.
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Oh man...that grosses me out. If and when I do find them..I don't know what I will do with them. I can just see myself running at the first sight of them. ![[nutz]](graemlins/nutz.gif)
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....well, I could bring up the part about the kiddie pool. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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I can invite all the neighbourhood kids over and we can make faces at him through the glass. ![[wavey]](graemlins/wavey.gif)
John & Christina I can't believe the two of you. I had green horn worms earlier and I had no problem squishing them to death or feeding them to the pet rooster. ![[tongue]](graemlins/neener.gif)
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Printer-friendly view of this garden