The monster in the tomato patch

By Aaron Horrell

The tobacco hornworm is often found eating on tomato plants in Southeast Missouri gardens. Too often it is discovered after much damage has been done to the tomatoes.

The tobacco hornworm has a green body with seven white lines accompanied by black slash marks on its sides. It has an orange-red horn at its rear end.

My photo shows the worm, which is actually a caterpillar, eating a tomato leaf. I cut the vine just above the tomato flower as the caterpillar clung tightly to the limb. I carried it out of the garden and released it unharmed into a nearby wildflower patch.

True to its name, the tobacco hornworm does feed on tobacco leaves. After a short life as a hungry, fat, green, slick little monster it will turn into a moth called the Carolina sphinx moth.