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What IS this disgusting slug-like thing?

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006
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by loveapples on July 31, 2006 11:00 AM
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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Tomatoes!
Container growing: Sunsugar, Sungold, Yellow Pear, Persimmon, Garden Peach, Green Zebra, Valencia, Prudens Purple, Matt's Wild Cherry.

Garden Growing: Brandywine, Yellow Brandywine, Zogola, Goldie, New Girl, German Johnson, Rose de Berne, Cherokee Purple
by ChristinaC on July 31, 2006 11:13 AM
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! [devil]

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by peppereater on July 31, 2006 11:19 AM
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.

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!
by peppereater on July 31, 2006 11:20 AM
Great pics, btw.

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!
by loveapples on July 31, 2006 12:18 PM
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.

Thanks!

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Tomatoes!
Container growing: Sunsugar, Sungold, Yellow Pear, Persimmon, Garden Peach, Green Zebra, Valencia, Prudens Purple, Matt's Wild Cherry.

Garden Growing: Brandywine, Yellow Brandywine, Zogola, Goldie, New Girl, German Johnson, Rose de Berne, Cherokee Purple
by 'Sparagus on July 31, 2006 01:03 PM
http://www.vegedge.umn.edu/vegpest/hornworm.htm

Look at the cool moth these guys turn into.....maybe makes you think twice about killing them?

[flower]
by Tamara from Minnesota on July 31, 2006 01:04 PM
Persimmon! *drool* Nice tomato varieties! [thumb] but that closeup photo made me run away.

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by johnCT on July 31, 2006 03:46 PM
Man those things just freak me out. Never seen one and hopefully I never do.

BTW, loveapples welcome! Great varieties your growing there! Anything ripened yet?

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John - Zone 6
by Thornius on August 03, 2006 06:13 PM
If it's a disgusting slug-like thing, It's gotta be......ME!

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A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.
by ChristinaC on August 04, 2006 12:32 AM
If it's you...where are you hiding?? Because I still haven't found that disgusting slug(s)!!

"Yoo..hoo...oh Thorny...come out, come out whereever you are...I have chocolate...."

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by johnCT on August 04, 2006 01:05 AM
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!

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John - Zone 6
by ChristinaC on August 04, 2006 01:15 AM
quote:
Two have been covered and condemned by wasp larvae and the other two met their demise with my pruners.
[scaredy] 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]
My neighbour has been teasing me to squeeze them to death with my bare hands!! [scaredy] Not funny! Yuck!

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by johnCT on August 04, 2006 01:25 AM
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. [critic]

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John - Zone 6
by ChristinaC on August 04, 2006 01:31 AM
You get 'em John!! Show 'em who's boss!

I can't help but picture you swinging that racquet and missing...over and over again... [Big Grin]
sorry John.. [kissies] [Big Grin]

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by johnCT on August 04, 2006 01:49 AM
Thank you Christina. I feel much better now. [Embarrassed]

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John - Zone 6
by ChristinaC on August 04, 2006 01:56 AM
Your welcome. [Big Grin]

(Aww..you know I love ya! [kissies] )

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. [Big Grin]

Okay...my turn..lemme have it.

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by johnCT on August 04, 2006 01:59 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ChristinaC:
Okay...my turn..lemme have it.
[thinker] ....well, I could bring up the part about the kiddie pool. [Razz]

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John - Zone 6
by ChristinaC on August 04, 2006 02:10 AM
[Big Grin]

Well..I'm on my way outside to continue this worm war. Wish me luck. I think I'll put them in a jar, name them and they can be my new pets. [Smile]

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by ChristinaC on August 04, 2006 02:50 AM
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. [clappy] I can invite all the neighbourhood kids over and we can make faces at him through the glass. [Big Grin]

(Don't worry Thorny, we'll throw you saw raw meat from time to time..that is..if you're real good.) [Big Grin]

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by comfrey on August 04, 2006 04:11 AM
[wavey] 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]

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. [thumb]

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by johnCT on August 04, 2006 06:07 AM
Comfrey, the black poop is exactly what led me to find the one yesterday.

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John - Zone 6
by ChristinaC on August 04, 2006 08:53 AM
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. [Big Grin] [tongue]

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by ChristinaC on August 04, 2006 11:41 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Thornius:
If it's a disgusting slug-like thing, It's gotta be......ME!
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by Thornius on August 04, 2006 01:04 PM
I KNEW it! [Razz] [Big Grin]

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A bird in the hand......can sometimes be a mess.
by peppereater on August 04, 2006 02:21 PM
Christina, you are AWEFUL! Karma will get you, you know! [Big Grin] [tongue]
I have, however, been wondering where Thorny has been lately! [grin]
BTW, John, I don't think they're the same as hummingbird moths...are they? I think they're luna moths...could be wrong.

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!
by comfrey on August 04, 2006 02:41 PM
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.

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by johnCT on August 05, 2006 01:39 AM
quote:
Originally posted by ChristinaC:
[QUOTE]Oh..I was just kidding..they don't bother me at all. I was just trying to make John feel better. [Big Grin] [tongue]
Yeah my A** you were! lol [Big Grin]

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John - Zone 6
by johnCT on August 05, 2006 01:42 AM
Well, I'll probably play tennis with them anyway. I need to work on my forehand.

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John - Zone 6
by comfrey on August 05, 2006 02:48 AM
quote:
Originally posted by peppereater:
I have, however, been wondering where Thorny has been lately! [grin]
Yep thorny has been in the mator patches all across the world apparently [Big Grin] [Big Grin] [Big Grin] [Big Grin]

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by Amigatec on August 05, 2006 03:37 AM
quote:
Originally posted by comfrey:
[wavey] 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]

Thornius you better watch out, you're going to be Rooster food!!!!!
[scaredy] [scaredy] [Frown] [shocked] [shocked]

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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.
by Hi Gator on August 05, 2006 07:48 AM
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.
by Hi Gator on August 05, 2006 07:50 AM
oh boy do I LOVE that picture you made Christina!! LOL LOL LOL That is too funny
by comfrey on August 05, 2006 08:24 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Amigatec:
Thornius you better watch out, you're going to be Rooster food!!!!!
[scaredy] [scaredy] [Frown] [shocked] [shocked]
[lala] [Big Grin] [Razz]

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