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Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: lottie lou on August 20, 2015, 10:08:03

Title: Mouse dropping lookalike
Post by: lottie lou on August 20, 2015, 10:08:03: Does anyone know what is or is leaving what looks like mouse droppings on my tomatoes? I am assuming it is an insect of some kind as some of my tomato skins appear to have small holes when I wipe them off. Does anyone also have any idea how to clear off/prevent.
Title: Re: Mouse dropping lookalike
Post by: daveyboi on August 20, 2015, 11:50:32: Maybe you can identify your problem on this page scroll down for pictures

http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/DiagnosticKeys/TomFrt/TomFrtKey.html#Spot
Title: Re: Mouse dropping lookalike
Post by: Tee Gee on August 20, 2015, 12:02:58: My guess would be the caterpillar of some type of moth e.g.

(http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p697/scotia10/August%202013/23rd%20August%202013/20130823_123500_zps3a99b552.jpg) (http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/scotia10/media/August%202013/23rd%20August%202013/20130823_123500_zps3a99b552.jpg.html)

but not necessarily this one!
Title: Re: Mouse dropping lookalike
Post by: gray1720 on August 21, 2015, 09:47:03: If I had those I'd happily sacrifice my toms for the chance of seeing it grown up!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oDoxLg65yPc/S_2HL-XSsKI/AAAAAAAABL0/MaidZkKDLIo/s1600/elephant+hawk+moth.jpg

I'd agree that a caterpillar of some sort is likeliest, though - unless you have bats, and it's coincidence.

Adrian
Title: Re: Mouse dropping lookalike
Post by: chriscross1966 on August 22, 2015, 19:16:42: Or mice....
Title: Re: Mouse dropping lookalike
Post by: Gavin63 on August 29, 2015, 14:18:00: I had the same a couple of weeks ago it was caterpillars, a spray with Deltamethrin sorted them out within a few minutes.
Title: Re: Mouse dropping lookalike
Post by: Deb P on August 29, 2015, 15:13:37: I'd guess tomato moth. I found some on my tomatoes last week, same large black droppings. Squished in seconds.....