Topic: Killer caterpillar!

[caroline7758]

Found nearly all the fruit on one of my Super Marmande toms had been chewed today {in the greenhouse). I thought it must be slugs but then spotted a caterpillar. I couldn't believe one caterpillar could do so much damge- or produce so much poo! Just hope it was only one. >:(

[saddad]

That Tomato moth can be devastating...  >:(

[Duke Ellington]

Caroline did it look  the same as the caterpillar that is shown in this video ???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRBQpvH_NcM

Duke

[shirlton]

Wow!!!!

[caroline7758]

OMG! No, just an ordinary caterpillar, thank goodness- it hadn't touched the leaves, just the fruit, which seemed unususal for a caterpillar.

[Toadspawn]

The film shows a caterpillar very like the Privet Hawk Moth found over here.

In the past i have often had caterpillars eating tomatoes in the GH. They are usually brown/green in colour and when I find them they are about an inch long. They appear to have no distinguishing marks and appear to be a 'bog standard' caterpillar. With careful looking they can be found easily and are very easy to pick off and destroy. They do only seem to eat the fruit but the damage can easily be cut off and didcarded and the tomato is then perfectly edible.

[thifasmom]

any chance of a picture?