[tomato] Re:
Margaret Lauterbach (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Mon, 11 Sep 2000 13:48:38 -0600
At 05:58 PM 9/11/00 +0000, you wrote:
>I have some tomato plants in a planter on the deck. I
>noticed 2 caterpillars on them. They are large (about 2
>inches long) green with white sacks attached all over
>their bodies. I noticed black droppings on the deck
>under these bugs. The plant is producing plenty of
>fruit but seem a little wilted but I think that is more
>a factor of water (they dry out quickly in the planters)
>I have one plant out in the yard that apparently does
>not have any of these pests on there yet and it is doing
>fine. Anyone know what these are? Can I just kill them
>and be done with it or are more steps needed?
>
>Tom
>St. Louis, MO
Leave them alone. Those white sacks are parasites. The caterpillars are
larvae of sphinx moths, sometimes known as tomato hornworms. Hornworms bad,
white sacks on them good. Margaret L