![]() Lastly, for those wondering is it harmful to ingest a pinworm from a tomato, the answer is a resounding no! Tomato pinworms are infectious only to Solenaceous plants and NOT to humans. Remove brown and curled leaves daily and pick any visible worms by hand. If crops continue to show signs of damage, the narrow spectrum insecticide abamectin can be used, but this is rarely necessary in the home garden.įor the organic gardener, garden cleanliness is a must. Broad spectrum insecticides can be used successfully to kill the tiny worms on tomatoes but must be applied at regular intervals throughout the season. Once evidence of the worms in tomatoes is discovered, chemical treatment is called for. Pheromone traps have been used effectively in larger field plantings, but are impractical for smaller homestead gardens. If you find two or three worms on tomato plants in each row, it’s time to apply treatment. Conduct weekly inspections until signs of the worms on tomato plant’s leaves are discovered. Continue to survey the foliage after transplant for the mines and folded leaf shelters that indicate an infestation. Garden debris should be cleared, burned, and the soil should be turned under to deeply bury any overwintering pupae of the tomato eating worms.įor the following planting season, carefully inspect all hothouse grown seedlings before transplanting them into the bed to avoid transfer of the eggs. End of season clean-up is essential for the prevention of future contamination. The first step toward tomato pinworm control is cultural. In areas where the moths are prevalent, growers must be vigilant with tomato pinworm control because these tiny insects multiply at a remarkable rate and can produce up to eight generations a year. While leaf damage is of little importance, the damage to the fruit crop can be devastating. It’s not until the larval stages that damage begins to mount and when the worms in tomato’s leaves leave their tunnels behind, the evidence is clear.ĭuring the next stage of development, the tomato eating worms drill pinholes into the stems, buds, and fruit and eat the flesh until they are ready to pupate or move on to the next stage of development. It is because of this tomato pinworm control rarely begins at this stage. The small grey brown moths lay their eggs on the underside of leaves during the night and because of their tiny size, the eggs are hardly noticeable. Where the winter weather is too cold for survival, the pupae hide in the dirt floors and plant detritus of the greenhouse. ![]() In warmer climes, the tomato pinworms spend the winter as pupae at the soil’s surface. As tiny worms on tomato plants, these insects can do tremendous crop damage. In addition to their namesakes, tomato pinworms feed only on Solanaceous plants that is, members of the nightshade family, such as eggplant and potato. In states farther north, these tomato eating worms are primarily a greenhouse problem. ![]() Tomato pinworms naturally occur in the hot agricultural areas of Mexico, Texas, California, and Florida. ![]()
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