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[Beekissed]

I've found 6 or so tomato hornworms on my tomato plant over the past few days. They are good at camouflage! Are their horns poisonous or dangerous?

Nope, though they give me the willies just looking at them! There are few pests I detest more than a hornworm, simply due to their voracious appetites and fat, lethal appearance. I have a set of HUGE tweezers that used to be my dad's that he used in fetching things that fell down into small engines and such...I use those to pluck them off the plant and carry them to my chickens.

 

[baymule]

Horn worms creep me out too. But I have no problem tossing them to the chickens. This year I haven't found any, some Summer Tanagers have taken up residence in the garden and I haven't had many bugs at all. They do take swipes at the tomatoes so I have to pick them when they first start showing color. Eh.

 

[flowerbug]

Horn worms creep me out too. But I have no problem tossing them to the chickens. This year I haven't found any, some Summer Tanagers have taken up residence in the garden and I haven't had many bugs at all. They do take swipes at the tomatoes so I have to pick them when they first start showing color. Eh.

see if putting up some birdbaths will help. they may be going at the fruits for the water content more than the food value. we have a pretty varied bird population here and i've hardly ever seen bird damage in the tomatoes.

 

[baymule]

I put water out for them, a lot of the birds drop in for a drink. We have a bird feeder up too, we enjoy them. But those Tanagers must like the tomato juice, LOL.

 

[thistlebloom]

I put water out for them, a lot of the birds drop in for a drink. We have a bird feeder up too, we enjoy them. But those Tanagers must like the tomato juice, LOL.

To me a few tomatoes are worth the pleasure of having a few beautiful birds hang out in the garden.

 

[baymule]

Once they peck one, I usually don't pick it so they can have some more of it.

 

[Nyboy]

Birds are attracted to color red. A guy on another forum was going crazy from birds eating his cherries. He planted some yellow cherry trees no bird problems

 

[ninnymary]

Once they peck one, I usually don't pick it so they can have some more of it.

I leave it too hoping they will continue to finish that one off and not touch the rest. But to be safe, I pick them when half way ripened.

Mary

 

[flowerbug]

so far this season there's only been signs of damage on the Roma tomato plants and we could not ever find the worm in question so it's not been removed. it only was there for a day or two that we saw the damage. i went out early and usually can track the worms down, but not this time. too much rain washed all the droppings which i use to (back/up)trace to the worm.

 

[ninnymary]

@Beekissed, how is the garden doing? Miss hearing about it and you!

Mary