Family Plot
  • Home
  • Watch
    • TV Schedule
    • Full Episodes Online
    • How-to and Informational
    • Questions and Answers
    • This Week in the Garden
    • Garden Notes
  • Garden Topic Collections
    • Apple Trees: How-to and Information
    • Peach Trees: How-to and Information
    • Tomatoes: How-to and Information
    • Square Foot Garden Blog
  • Resources
    • Soil Testing
    • Extension Publications
    • Gardening Resources
    • Blogs
    • Organic Gardening
    • Articles
    • Privacy
  • Guests
  • Contact Us
    • Ask a Gardening Gardening Question
  • Search

Where do tomato hornworms come from?

Tomato Hornworms are the caterpillar of the large Sphynx moth (sometimes called hummingbird moth). The moth lays an egg and once hatched the hornworm caterpillar eats until it grows to approximately four inches in length. The caterpillar the goes into the soil where it pupates. The hornworms are very well camouflaged on tomato plants. You can see where they have eaten because of the leafless stems and they can often be found by looking for their excrement. They are easily controlled by picking them off, or by using BT (Bacillus thuringiensis). Tomato hornworms and tobacco hornworms both eat tomato leaves. The tomato hornworm has light colored V markings on the side while the tobacco hornworm has light colored slashes on the side.

Related Videos:
Tomato Hornworms
How To Stop Tomato Hornworm

Related Resources:
Hornworms and “Hummingbird” Moths
Tomato Hornworms in Home Gardens
Website Copyright 2025 Family Plot Garden
Content Copyright 2015-2025 Family Plot Garden & Mid-South Public Communications Foundation

  • Home
  • Watch
    • TV Schedule
    • Full Episodes Online
    • How-to and Informational
    • Questions and Answers
    • This Week in the Garden
    • Garden Notes
  • Garden Topic Collections
    • Apple Trees: How-to and Information
    • Peach Trees: How-to and Information
    • Tomatoes: How-to and Information
    • Square Foot Garden Blog
  • Resources
    • Soil Testing
    • Extension Publications
    • Gardening Resources
    • Blogs
    • Organic Gardening
    • Articles
    • Privacy
  • Guests
  • Contact Us
    • Ask a Gardening Gardening Question
  • Search