Fact Sheet on Tomato insects

Cobb County Extension

HOME GARDEN TOMATO INSECTS

Insect

Description

Damage

Non-chemical Controls*

Aphids

Small, soft-bodied, 1/8" long, yellow to pale green to black, with two tail pipes. Found near growing points and under leaves.

Suck plant juices; leaves thicken, wrinkle and turn yellow or brown. Small plants may be severely weakened or killed. Aphids carry plant viruses from diseased to healthy plants.

A forceful stream of water (not for soft, tender plants). Lady beetles, lacewings. Insecticidal soap. Interplant mint.

Blister Beetle

Soft, slender with long legs, 1-1/2 to 1-3/4" long, black, grayish or black with narrow gray or yellow stripes on margin of wing covers.

Feeding on leaves may cause loss of leaves; sunscald fruit may result

Pick by hand with gloves (can cause blisters). Row covers.

Colorado Potato Beetle

Yellow and black striped, hard shelled, 3/8" long. Eggs: Orange, barrel-shaped. Laid on leaves. 1/2" reddish, humpbacked, legged grubs.

Grubs chew holes in leaves, weakens plants.

Pick by hand. Row covers. Ladybeetles, lacewings. Interplant with green beans.

Cutworms

Plump, smooth-skinned, greasy-looking caterpillars up to one inch long. Often found curled up at base of plants.

Young transplants will be cut down at ground level or branches may be removed from larger plants.

Pick by hand from the soil. Wrap a 4 x 4" strip of aluminum foil around the transplant with 2" above the soil and 2" below the soil. Rototil infected gardens as soon as crops are harvested.

Flea Beetle

Very small (1/16 to 1/18"), black or striped shiny insect. Jump readily when disturbed.

Eat very small, rounded or irregular holes in leaves, giving a shot-hole appearance. Foliage may be so damaged that plant can no longer function. Beetles can carry disease organisms from plant to plant.

Control weeds. Fall plowing. Interplant mint.

Hornworm

Large, green caterpillars with white bars, 3 to 4" long, with a slender horn projecting from near the rear end.

Eat large amounts of foliage; can result in stunting and fruit scald.

Pick by hand. (Do not remove if caterpillars have braconid wasp cocoons in their backs.) Interplant with basil to repel. Lady beetles, lacewings. Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.)

Leafminer

Small white or yellow legless maggots which feed between the two surfaces of the leaf. Winding white trails or broad white spots appear on leaves.

Mines or tunnels weaken leaves. Also serve as points where disease and decay may start.

Not usually a problem unless there are several per leaf. Lady beetles, lacewings. Remove and destroy infested leaves. Fall plowing. Rotate crops.

Root knot Namatodes

Tiny, usually microscopic worms.

Plants appear stunted and wilt in hot, dry weather. Roots contain elongated and round swellings (root knots).

Rotate crops. Use compost mulch. Use resistant varieties (the letter N follows the name).

Spider Mite

Tiny (barely visible) red, orange, yellow or green. Large populations develop during hot, dry weather.

Suck plant juices from underside of leaves. Leaves appear blotched with pale spots, small specks to large areas. Leaves drop from plants. Makes tiny webbing on the undersides of leaves.

A forceful stream of water (not for soft, tender plants) daily for a week. Lady beetles, lacewings.

Stink Bug

Shield-shaped, flat, 5/8" long, with wings and a narrow head. When crushed, give off a foul odor.

Suck juices from leaves and fruit while injecting a toxic saliva. Feeding on leaves results in yellow spots with a halo. Immature fruits have white spots and whitish yellow spots on mature fruits.

Pick by hand. Use good weed control.

Tomato Fruitworm/

Corn Earworm

Color of 2" caterpillar varies from white, brown, and blackish to red with stripes and hair tufts.

Larvae feed on leaves and then young fruit.

Pick by hand. Turn over the soil in late fall. Choose resistant cultivars.

Whitefly

Nymphs look like flat, oval scales and come in white, black, brown or pale green. Very small (1/16") sucking insect with two pairs of broadly rounded wings covered with a snow white, waxy powder. They look like tiny moths and fly out in a cloud when disturbed.

Suck plant juices causing leaf discoloration, leaf drop, and stunting of plants. A sooty mold grows on the honeydew, causing a black, unsightly appearance on the leaves.

Inspect underside of leaves of transplant at time of purchase. Lacy beetles, lacewings. Insecticidal soap for small infestations. Interplant nasturtium.

* For severe infestations, chemical controls, or other information, contact the Cobb County Extension Service at 770-528-4070 or e-mail at uge1067@arches.uga.edu.

written formally by Rachel Swinford, program assistant

The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating. The Cooperative Extension Service offers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability.

The contents and opinions expressed on this Web page do not necessarily reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by the University of Georgia or the University System of Georgia

HOME GARDEN TOMATO INSECTS
Insect	Description	Damage	Non-chemical Controls*
Aphids	Small, soft-bodied, 1/8" long, yellow to pale green to black, with two tail pipes. Found near growing points and under leaves.	Suck plant juices; leaves thicken, wrinkle and turn yellow or brown. Small plants may be severely weakened or killed. Aphids carry plant viruses from diseased to healthy plants.	A forceful stream of water (not for soft, tender plants). Lady beetles, lacewings. Insecticidal soap. Interplant mint.
Blister Beetle	Soft, slender with long legs, 1-1/2 to 1-3/4" long, black, grayish or black with narrow gray or yellow stripes on margin of wing covers.	Feeding on leaves may cause loss of leaves; sunscald fruit may result	Pick by hand with gloves (can cause blisters). Row covers.
Colorado Potato Beetle	Yellow and black striped, hard shelled, 3/8" long. Eggs: Orange, barrel-shaped. Laid on leaves. 1/2" reddish, humpbacked, legged grubs.	Grubs chew holes in leaves, weakens plants.	Pick by hand. Row covers. Ladybeetles, lacewings. Interplant with green beans.
Cutworms	Plump, smooth-skinned, greasy-looking caterpillars up to one inch long. Often found curled up at base of plants.	Young transplants will be cut down at ground level or branches may be removed from larger plants.	Pick by hand from the soil. Wrap a 4 x 4" strip of aluminum foil around the transplant with 2" above the soil and 2" below the soil. Rototil infected gardens as soon as crops are harvested.
Flea Beetle	Very small (1/16 to 1/18"), black or striped shiny insect. Jump readily when disturbed.	Eat very small, rounded or irregular holes in leaves, giving a shot-hole appearance. Foliage may be so damaged that plant can no longer function. Beetles can carry disease organisms from plant to plant.	Control weeds. Fall plowing. Interplant mint.
Hornworm	Large, green caterpillars with white bars, 3 to 4" long, with a slender horn projecting from near the rear end.	Eat large amounts of foliage; can result in stunting and fruit scald.	Pick by hand. (Do not remove if caterpillars have braconid wasp cocoons in their backs.) Interplant with basil to repel. Lady beetles, lacewings. Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.)
Leafminer	Small white or yellow legless maggots which feed between the two surfaces of the leaf. Winding white trails or broad white spots appear on leaves.	Mines or tunnels weaken leaves. Also serve as points where disease and decay may start.	Not usually a problem unless there are several per leaf. Lady beetles, lacewings. Remove and destroy infested leaves. Fall plowing. Rotate crops.
Root knot Namatodes	Tiny, usually microscopic worms.	Plants appear stunted and wilt in hot, dry weather. Roots contain elongated and round swellings (root knots).	Rotate crops. Use compost mulch. Use resistant varieties (the letter N follows the name).
Spider Mite	Tiny (barely visible) red, orange, yellow or green. Large populations develop during hot, dry weather.	Suck plant juices from underside of leaves. Leaves appear blotched with pale spots, small specks to large areas. Leaves drop from plants. Makes tiny webbing on the undersides of leaves.	A forceful stream of water (not for soft, tender plants) daily for a week. Lady beetles, lacewings.
Stink Bug	Shield-shaped, flat, 5/8" long, with wings and a narrow head. When crushed, give off a foul odor.	Suck juices from leaves and fruit while injecting a toxic saliva. Feeding on leaves results in yellow spots with a halo. Immature fruits have white spots and whitish yellow spots on mature fruits.	Pick by hand. Use good weed control.
Tomato Fruitworm/ Corn Earworm	Color of 2" caterpillar varies from white, brown, and blackish to red with stripes and hair tufts.	Larvae feed on leaves and then young fruit.	Pick by hand. Turn over the soil in late fall. Choose resistant cultivars.
Whitefly	Nymphs look like flat, oval scales and come in white, black, brown or pale green. Very small (1/16") sucking insect with two pairs of broadly rounded wings covered with a snow white, waxy powder. They look like tiny moths and fly out in a cloud when disturbed.	Suck plant juices causing leaf discoloration, leaf drop, and stunting of plants. A sooty mold grows on the honeydew, causing a black, unsightly appearance on the leaves.	Inspect underside of leaves of transplant at time of purchase. Lacy beetles, lacewings. Insecticidal soap for small infestations. Interplant nasturtium.
* For severe infestations, chemical controls, or other information, contact the Cobb County Extension Service at 770-528-4070 or e-mail at uge1067@arches.uga.edu.