snuffy
Cave Dweller 
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
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Post by snuffy on Oct 7, 2015 20:02:04 GMT -5
Apparently you can eat them...  I'm glad I already had dinner! Ewwwwww...... There I go being first world again (as my grand daughter would say). And to think of the thousands of great snacks I've smashed over the last 42 years!!!! snuffy |
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micellular
has rocks in the head
Rock fever is curable with more rocks.
Member since September 2015
Posts: 640
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Post by micellular on Oct 7, 2015 20:06:54 GMT -5
If ya can't beat them, eat them
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 9, 2015 16:07:02 GMT -5
Michelle micellular , I found four more of the tomato hornworms (big around as my thumb, and about four and a half inches long)in the garden today. These were not on the tomato plant, but gnawing away the leaves on my hot black cobra chili pepper plants! Bad worms, bad! Thought you might like to give them a try? Woulda sent them to ya, but figured you musta been kidding. (You weren't serious, were you?) I know what you mean snuffy, between the two of us, oh, and Pat as well, we probably found and killed enough of those to feed a third world country! Pat, watch your little pepper plants closely! Mine plants are six feet tall, imagine baby ones would be stripped in a New York minute! Funny, they didn't touch the jalapenos, or the Peter Pepper. Must not taste as good? |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,496
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 9, 2015 16:36:40 GMT -5
I used to have some three toed box turtles that would follow me around the garden to try to get treats. They love tomato hornworms!....Mel
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Post by Pat on Oct 9, 2015 17:14:01 GMT -5
Michelle micellular , I found four more of the tomato hornworms (big around as my thumb, and about four and a half inches long)in the garden today. These were not on the tomato plant, but gnawing away the leaves on my hot black cobra chili pepper plants! Bad worms, bad! Thought you might like to give them a try? Woulda sent them to ya, but figured you musta been kidding. (You weren't serious, were you?) I know what you mean snuffy, between the two of us, oh, and Pat as well, we probably found and killed enough of those to feed a third world country! Pat, watch your little pepper plants closely! Mine plants are six feet tall, imagine baby ones would be stripped in a New York minute! Funny, they didn't touch the jalapenos, or the Peter Pepper. Must not taste as good? Jean, do you know of any deterrent? I'm thinking of using small-mesh plastic and building a fence around the perimeter and over the top. I didn't realize the plants got so tall. Mine are about a foot tall. Yikes! What next?  |
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Post by vegasjames on Oct 9, 2015 17:22:36 GMT -5
If ya can't beat them, eat them I would worry though if they have been feeding on tomato plants that they may have built up a toxic level of solanine. |
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,496
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Post by Sabre52 on Oct 9, 2015 17:39:43 GMT -5
They do manufacture a BT compound ( Bacillus Thuringeinsis) for biological pest control of hornworms and other moth larvae. Safe material for humans and higher animals and since butterflies are not attracted to tomato plants, doesn't kill larvae other than the moth larvae attacking the tomato plants. You can read about it online. We use BT sometimes in our stock tanks for skeeters....Mel
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Post by Pat on Oct 9, 2015 20:37:22 GMT -5
They do manufacture a BT compound ( Bacillus Thuringeinsis) for biological pest control of hornworms and other moth larvae. Safe material for humans and higher animals and since butterflies are not attracted to tomato plants, doesn't kill larvae other than the moth larvae attacking the tomato plants. You can read about it online. We use BT sometimes in our stock tanks for skeeters....Mel Thanks, Mel. Sounds easier than my solution. |
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mrzulu
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2015
Posts: 245 
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Post by mrzulu on Oct 10, 2015 20:57:25 GMT -5
Mexican tomato hornworm. Member of Hawk moth sub-species. The eat peppers and tomatoes. Both indiginous to southwestern US thru Mexico and Central America.
They used to scare the crap outa me when I was little...lol
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 21, 2015 15:20:49 GMT -5
I had taken a few more pics of these ugly suckers, just never got around to posting them. So, for your enjoyment... Hungry, micellular? Just kidding...
They got some big (sideways) chompers on them. Don't know what's worse, getting bit, or getting green sh!t spit on you. 
This one is rather plump 
This one I found on my black cobra pepper plant. 
If you're lucky, you'll find them before they do any more damage than this. I've used BT before on other plants, but usually I just pick the offenders off by hand. 
This ones a good size. The tomato plants (and the pepper plants) must be a great food source, the hornworms grow real fast eating it! 
Pat, these are my black cobra chilis. Standing next to the plants in the garden, they are about a half foot taller than me. Told ya they are tall! 
And some of the chilis, before they turn red. (It's still summer here.) I add about ten of them to the jalapenos to make jelly. 
I had to buy some jalapenos at the store today to make another batch of jelly! Yum!
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mrzulu
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2015
Posts: 245
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Post by mrzulu on Oct 21, 2015 19:26:40 GMT -5
I love Chili Jelly
on a toasted garlic (or everything) bagel and sweet Vidalia Onion and red bell pepper mixed in cream cheese...
Sheesh... Giving myself the munchies... LOL
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Post by Pat on Oct 21, 2015 20:33:43 GMT -5
rockpickerforever your pepper plants are magnificent! Mine are about a foot tall. One has two tiny peppers on it as well as a flower bud. No sign of big moths or horn worms. Yet! Have the BT to apply.
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mrzulu
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2015
Posts: 245
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Post by mrzulu on Oct 22, 2015 5:58:23 GMT -5
Michelle micellular , I found four more of the tomato hornworms (big around as my thumb, and about four and a half inches long)in the garden today. These were not on the tomato plant, but gnawing away the leaves on my hot black cobra chili pepper plants! Bad worms, bad! Thought you might like to give them a try? Woulda sent them to ya, but figured you musta been kidding. (You weren't serious, were you?) I know what you mean snuffy, between the two of us, oh, and Pat as well, we probably found and killed enough of those to feed a third world country! Pat, watch your little pepper plants closely! Mine plants are six feet tall, imagine baby ones would be stripped in a New York minute! Funny, they didn't touch the jalapenos, or the Peter Pepper. Must not taste as good? Jean, do you know of any deterrent? I'm thinking of using small-mesh plastic and building a fence around the perimeter and over the top. I didn't realize the plants got so tall. Mine are about a foot tall. Yikes! What next? My Mother used to steal a couple packs of my dad's Old Gold spin filter cigs and a few whole cloves and black pepper corns make tea in 3:1 water/white vinegar, cool and strain and then spray the leaves and stems. Oddly, was at the farmer's market the other day, I remembered the recipe from my last garden venture. It's all natural. Totally nontoxic and works for aphids and spider mites and other pests as well. It doesn't smell bad and just rinses off veggies! |
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 22, 2015 14:45:54 GMT -5
I love Chili Jelly on a toasted garlic (or everything) bagel and sweet Vidalia Onion and red bell pepper mixed in cream cheese... Sheesh... Giving myself the munchies... LOL Heh, heh, making it right now, lol! We have found that the absolute, very best thing to put it on is hot cornbread, fresh out of the oven, made from the Marie Callender's mix. 
Now I'm eyeing the half dozen dragon fruit that are ripe... Hmmmm, might could make some mighty tasty jelly.
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Post by Pat on Oct 22, 2015 15:11:51 GMT -5
We put the hot pepper jelly on top of a glob of Philadelphia Cream Cheese on a Wheat Thin Cracker. Yuuuuuuum!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Oct 22, 2015 16:15:03 GMT -5
That sounds good, Pat!
Just found four more of those tomato hornworms on my tomato plant yesterday. Picked 'em off and squished them. Seems they go in spurts! None on my chili plants this time. Gotta check them at least once week or so. Otherwise, the plants get stripped bare!
I don't normally have tomato plants this late in the year, they usually get all crisped up during the (calendar) summer. This one I started late from seed, an heirloom tomato called Mr. Stripey. It has blossoms on it, but haven't seen a lot of bees around the garden, so wonder if they'll get pollinated? I did see honeybees on some Pitaya (Dragon Fruit) flowers this morning.
Oh,, and while looking for recipes for the Dragon Fruit, I found that they come in three varieties - White-fleshed, red-fleshed (like mine) and one with a yellow rind and white flesh. 
I did not know that!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2015 19:52:13 GMT -5
If ya can't beat them, eat them I would worry though if they have been feeding on tomato plants that they may have built up a toxic level of solanine. Turns out that is more of an issue with potato. Tomato leaves are actually being used by high end chefs to amp up the tomato flavor in their sauces. |
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