Allotments 4 All

Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: caroline7758 on September 03, 2009, 16:29:26

Title: Killer caterpillar!
Post by: caroline7758 on September 03, 2009, 16:29:26

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. >:(

Title: Re: Killer caterpillar!
Post by: saddad on September 03, 2009, 17:28:26

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

Title: Re: Killer caterpillar!
Post by: Duke Ellington on September 03, 2009, 17:52:09

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

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

Duke

Title: Re: Killer caterpillar!
Post by: shirlton on September 03, 2009, 17:56:30

Wow!!!!

Title: Re: Killer caterpillar!
Post by: caroline7758 on September 03, 2009, 19:11:07

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

Title: Re: Killer caterpillar!
Post by: Toadspawn on September 03, 2009, 22:32:35

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.

Title: Re: Killer caterpillar!
Post by: thifasmom on September 04, 2009, 00:11:19

any chance of a picture?