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Where did all the tomato horn worms go?

 
Matt McSpadden
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Has anyone else seen a difference in the number of tomato horn worms this year?

I've gardened this area for 7 years, and I got tomato horn worms every single year... except this one. Some years more, some years less.

I did use a different tomato variety than normal, but otherwise, planted them the same way I always do. The same spacing, the same basil plants in the middle. And I have seen no horn worms at all this year. No damage or signs whatsoever. And I have been checking all summer... waiting for them to show up. Anyone else get a break this year?

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Pearl Sutton
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The birds learned that I had good eating on them tomato plants. The cardinals and robins hunt the tomato worms. I see them on the arbors, staring at the plants, then diving down and fighting the worms loose.
Do you have good predator birds this year?

Other thing I'd think about is my area got rained HARD for months. Lots of things probably didn't survive it. I know I have less butterflies than usual.

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Matt McSpadden
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I can't say that I noticed more birds than usual.

And we had a fairly dry summer, all things considered. Maybe not as many moths survived because of the drought?

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Tanya White
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I killed about 30 last year and this year only found 2. Lots of other caterpillars and tons of butterflies this year in my area.
 
Pete Podurgiel
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None, nada, zilch, zero.   Been another droughty year here, too. Not sure if that played into it.  I don't recall seeing any last year, maybe one or two.
Depressingly few butterflies as well, despite having plenty of forage for them.

Saw a preying mantis yesterday and made me think about walking-stick bugs. It's probably been a decade or more since I've seen one of those around.

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greg mosser
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i only had one round of tomato hornworms this year. usually there’s at least 3. i did see both tobacco and pawpaw hornworms though.
 
John F Dean
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I have had zero this year.  Frankly, I am a little concerned. You don’t suppose something terrible happened to them do you?

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Timothy Norton
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I feel fortunate, I have never had tomato horn worms in my garden. I however have noticed plenty of their predators in my gardens such as paper wasps and lacewings.

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Christopher Weeks
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I only ever see them on my peppers, not tomatoes, and they're only occasional -- but I live in the woods with tons of habitat for their predators. I haven't seen any this year, but I've been kind of laid up and failing to garden properly, so I'm not sure if it's just that.
 
Matt McSpadden
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John F Dean wrote:I have had zero this year.  Frankly, I am a little concerned. You don’t suppose something terrible happened to then do you?



I feel about tomato horn worms like I do about mosquitoes and black flies. I know they have a place in the ecosystem, and I don't really want them to be extinct... but it's really hard to not enjoy it when they are not around.

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Visit https://themaineingredient.com for organic, premium dried culinary herbs that are grown, processed, and packaged in the USA.

 
Mike Barkley
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A few caused massive destruction to my tomatoes this year. They are in horn worm heaven now.

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M Ljin
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I have not seen any for many years. We used to get them though. It could be that the ecosystem around grew up and now has a lot more predators. It was  deforested hayfield a few decades ago, now is a patchwork of forest and meadow and garden and grass.

I have seen so many tussock caterpillars. I think they are mostly hickory and milkweed tussocks.
 
Dian Green
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This is only our second summer here so I'm not sure how bad they typically are here. In our old place, about an hour north of here, I usually only got one or 2 litters a year.
Last year, it was super cool and wet so all the tomatoes died from blight and we never had any.
So far this year I had one batch of about a dozen,  back in early July.  They were removed by hand.

A few just showed up in the past week or 2, but I have left them since they are infected with the parasitic wasps. I found one that was clean and it got taken away but these are doing their part for natural controls next year.
20250923_174706.jpg
tomato hornworn, September 23, 2025
tomato hornworn, September 23, 2025

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Inge Leonora-den Ouden
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Tomato Hornworms do not live here in the Netherlands. Maybe because tomatoes are not native here? We are so lucky to be able to grow tomatoes (although most tomatoes here are grown in greenhouses), without the problem of the Hornworms.

There are some other related caterpillars here, f.e. the Sphinx ligustri (privet hawk-moth). They are fairly rare, so I am very happy if I see one of those! Yes, those caterpillars nibble on hedges, but they don't do much harm.
I understand it's different if a big fat caterpillar is eating your tomato-plants. I hope you all will get more parasitic wasps, birds and other predators in your permaculture-gardens.

"Also, just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them" (Luke 6:31)

 
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