Beware of the Tobacco Worm

Ugly monsters aren't they?! This is the tobacco worm. It is my WORST garden enemy. One day I will go out to admire my beautiful tomato plants, half way ripened and budding more-the next morning it is a devoured scraggly stick! I am not joking, these guys are awful. So, I am sharing my experience with you in hopes of saving your beautiful, bountiful tomato crop. Tobacco worms have only ever feasted on my tomato plants out of all the selections they have. They are almost impossible to see. In fact I can stare at a plant for 5 minutes without noticing 3 giant worms right under my nose. As you can see God gave them some good camouflage. Now, I do all of our gardening organically, leaving me with my fingers as the best deadly defense against this pests. Do not be afraid to pick these guys off of your plant, they will not hurt you. The pointy horn is a visual defense more than anything. They do hold on tight though so be prepared to give a good tug. If you find them with white 'specks' on their back, this is a good thing. Wasps lay their eggs on tobacco worms which will then kill the worm in return. Oh, and if you are like me, I was concerned I was killing a potentially beautiful butterfly. Turns out they become Hawk Moths. While that does sound fascinating, I would rather have a crop of juicy Heirloom tomatoes. And if you need an even brighter side to convince you of their end, you can always feed the birds.