Tomato Hornworm

Tomato hornworms can be up to 5" long.

Found throughout the United States, these large, fat caterpillars feed voraciously on the leaves and fruits of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes. Adults are rather spectacular sphinx moths, grayish-brown with orange spots on the body and a 4-5" wingspan. After overwintering in the soil in 2" brown, spindle-shaped pupal cases, moths emerge in late spring to early summer to lay greenish-yellow eggs on leaf undersides. Caterpillars feed for about a month, then go into the soil to pupate. There is one generation per year in the North; two or more in the South.

• Hand-pick the worms and drop them into a bucket of soapy water. Caterpillars cannot sting with their "horn".
• Try to attract parasitic wasps.

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