Tomato Hornworms

Big, fat, and green! Here are tips on how to identify, control, and get rid of tomato hornworms in your garden.

What Are Hornworms?

If you’ve ever grown tomatoes, chances are good that you've dealt with these green caterpillar pests. There are two main garden pest species, tomato hornworms and tobacco hornworms, which can be found in most regions of the U.S. and in southern Canada. Both species can ruin your tomato crop in record time! They also feed on other plants in the Solanaceae (nightshade) family: eggplants, peppers, tobacco, and potatoes. They blend in quite easily with the green foliage and feed non-stop, creating spotty and chewed leaves and fruit.

Tomato (and tobacco) hornworms live according to the following life cycle:

• In late spring, large adult moths lay eggs on the undersides of foliage, which will hatch within a week. The adult moths are easily recognizable; they're commonly called sphinx or hummingbird moths.
• Caterpillar larvae will hatch in late spring and feed for 4–6 weeks before creating a cocoon, overwintering in their pupal state in the soil. If the weather is warm enough, larvae may only burrow for as little as 2–3 weeks.
• Moths will emerge in the spring, and will then lay eggs once again. More than one generation a year may be possible in warmer climates.

Tomato hornworm moth (female). Look out for the moths in late spring. Photo by Didier Descouens/Wikimedia Commons.

Identification

How to Identify Tomato Hornworms

Hornworms can be up to 5 inches long—which can be quite a shock when you first come across one! They do the most damage in the caterpillar—or larval—stage. They are pale green with white and black markings, plus a horn-like protrusion stemming from their rear. (Don't worry, they aren't able to sting or bite!) The caterpillar also has eight V-shaped stripes on its green body. Tomato hornworms come from a mottled brown-gray moth (see picture, above). 

The larvae blend in really well with the plant greenery. Just get used to a daily patrol, looking for hornworm eggs and small caterpillars. Here are some cues of infestations:

• Hornworms tend to start feeding from the top of the plant; look for chewed or missing leaves.
• Look closely at the TOP of your tomato leaves for dark green or black droppings left by the larvae feeding on the leaves. Then look at the underside of leaves and you'll likely find a hornworm.
• Look for stems missing some leaves and wilted leaves hanging down. You may find white cocoons and their hornworm hosts nearby.

Tomato hornworm

Tomato vs. Tobacco Hornworms

There are a few species of hornworms that inhabit North American gardens, including tomato hornworms (Manduca quinquemaculata) and tobacco hornworms (Manduca sexta). Both species feed on common garden plants like tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Here's how to tell which caterpillar is which:

• Tobacco hornworms have parallel white stripes; tomato hornworms have white V–shaped markings.
• Tobacco hornworms have black spots lining each of their stripes; tomato hornworms do not.
• Tobacco hornworms have a red "horn" on their tail end; tomato hornworms have a black horn.

Can you tell which hornworm this is? (It's a tobacco hornworm! Notice the white stripes with dotted black lines and a red "horn.") 

Tomato Hornworm Damage

If you see leaves with large holes and severe defoliation, devoured flowers, and/or scarring on fruit surfaces, you might have tomato or tobacco hornworms. The fruit also may be damaged by sunscald because of the reduced foliage cover.

Control and Prevention

How to Get Rid of Tomato Hornworms

• Handpicking is an excellent tactic for control if you have the time and patience, or a small garden. The caterpillars are not dangerous and can neither sting nor bite. If you are squeamish about crushing these large insects, drop them into soapy water instead (or feed them to your chickens, if you've got a flock).
• If the hornworm population or the area of your garden is too large, insecticides can be effective, though they should be a last resort. You can use the organic pesticide Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), which is a bacterium that acts as a stomach poison on some larval insects (but doesn't harm other plants or animals). Bt must be ingested by the caterpillars to be effective, and it must be reapplied to plant foliage after rain. Please check with your local Cooperative Extension for a list of approved insecticides in your area.
• Insecticidal soaps will also kill hornworms, but the pests need to come into direct contact with the substance.

A tobacco hornworm covered with parasitic wasp eggs. 

How to Prevent Tomato Hornworms

• Till soil at the beginning and end of each gardening season to destroy overwintering larvae. Tillage has shown to cause up to 90% mortality.
• Keep wasps around; a number of species are beneficial insects which feed on hornworms and act as a biological control. You may see hormworms with parasitic wasp larvae attached, which look like grains of rice (see picture, above). These attacked hornworms will continue to feed for a little while, but will soon succumb to their hitchhikers, so it's wise to leave them alone and let the wasps carry out their life cycle. Alternatively, remove infected hornworms and place them far away from your garden. This way, the wasps will still do their job, but the hornworm won't continue to damage your crops. 
• Other beneficial insect, like ladybugs and green lacewings, may feed on young hornworms or hornworm eggs.
• To keep hornworms away from your tomato plants next year, try interplanting dill or basil; marigolds are also an excellent companion plant.

See the Almanac Garden Pest and Disease Library for more information on common pest problems.