Bug Off!

Tomato Hornworm, you're not welcome in my garden.

this morning as i was watering and inspecting my garden if found this frighteningly disguising caterpillar on one of my burpee beefsteak tomato plants(so the caterpillar has good tastes...). maybe he doesn't look so frightening in the picture, but that's b/c you can't see the fear inducing horn on it's backside! eek! i knew he was trouble as soon as i saw him b/c my friend linz had trouble with these same caterpillars earlier in the season and they tore apart her tomato plants. these things are beasts! they feast in the plant before you even realize they're there. here's the conversation i had with linz about them...


linz: Yes - that's what I had! It's a tomato (formerly, tobacco) hornworm. It has what is called a "red anal horn". Ewww! :) Smash them b/c they can do quite a bit of damage in just a day. That looks like a pretty small one, though. Mine were big and fat like the caterpillar on Alice and Wonderland.

me: ugh, this one was big to me, i can't imagine bigger ones. puke! i totally understand now! they're gross. i had found several of the cocoon type things in my garden while planting and always smooshed them and felt bad b/c i didn't know what they were but someone had recommended smooshing them... now i now why!

our friend renee: I just have to say, I appreciate the delicate way you guys used these interesting words.

check out this site if you want to learn more about these despicable buggers.