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Tomato Hornworm Chayton Massic - SUNY Plattsburgh Undergraduate

Known scientifically as

Manduca quinquemaculata

Origins

The Tomato Hornworm has originated in North America & Australia. It continues to populate these continents among many others.

Life cycle & History

  1. Eggs are laid under tomato leaves in late spring.
  2. Hatching occurs after 6-8 days.
  3. Larva reaches full growth after 4-6 weeks.
  4. Larva burrows into pupal stage.
  5. Emergence will occur the following spring

Historically, Tomato Hornworms grow best in warmer seasons and remain dormant through the winter seasons.

Targets

Tomato Hornworms primarily target tomato crops, but they also go after:

  • Eggplants
  • Potatoes
  • Peppers

Controls

Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) - organic insecticide; kills most of the hornworms.

Handpicking the Hornworms to remove them from the plant (any the BT may have missed).

Natural Threat

  • Garden wasps - make cocoons in hornworm bodies and kill the hornworm when they emerge!

Fun Fact: A Traditional Story!

Tomato Hornworms aren't just worms... they're moths too! They reach this form in their adult phases with wings that can be as long as 5 inches!

These moths can cause problems for tobacco growth, so many native cultures had a strong hatred for the pest.

Literature Cited:

Bethanny. “How to Get Rid of Tomato Hornworms: 12 Tricks That Work.” Homesteading Where You Are, 28 July 2021, www.homesteadingwhereyouare.com/2021/07/28/how-to-get-rid-of-tomato-hornworms/.

Cranshaw, Whitney. Tomato Hornworm Manduca Quinquemaculata (Haworth); Family: Sphingidae Tomato Hornworm. 2018.

Pleasant, Barbara. “Organic Tomato Hornworm Control.” GrowVeg, 4 June 2020, www.growveg.com/guides/organic-tomato-hornworm-control/.

Created By
Chayton Massic
Appreciate

Credits:

Created with images by Vesna - "Red tomato" • Dan Ross - "Tobacco hornworm moth caterpillar eating a tomato plant." • WS Films - "tomato field on summer day" • Uzfoto - "Hydroponic tomato gardening " • zsv3207 - "Close-up view of human hand and antiseptic spray bottle on dark background. Control Epidemic Prevention measures of coronavirus." • Robert - "Macro closeup of a wasps' nest with the wasps sitting and protecting the nest" • Eugen Thome - "Ein riesiger Nachtfalter isoliert auf weißem Hintergrund"