Gardener Warns of Common Pest That Destroys More Than Just Tomato Plants originally appeared on Parade Home & Garden.
It goes by many names: tomato bug, caterpillar, and the always popular ‘dang pest’, but no gardener is ever thrilled to find one in their garden. The dreaded hornworm is notorious for destroying tomato plants by chewing holes right through the fruit, but tomatoes aren’t the only thing on its menu.
Kasie Rae of Abby Valley Farm recently shared a post on Instagram featuring this hungry pest and the surprising number of plants it loves to snack on. In addition to tomatoes, hornworms go after anything in the nightshade family; think potatoes, peppers, eggplant, and more. We had no idea their appetite was so diverse!
Thank you for sharing, Kasie Rae! We’ll definitely be on the lookout for them. And because of their bright colors and the horn on the top of their heads, they’re easy to spot…if you are looking for them.
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How to Get Rid of Hornworms
Kasie Rae also shared this reminder about the common garden pest, “With their size and that dramatic horn, they look intimidating, but it’s all show; the “horn” is harmless. What’s not harmless is the way they can strip a plant bare overnight. Keep an eye out for them – and if you see one, it’s eviction time.”
According to The Farmer’s Almanac, the best way to get rid of them is by hand. “Handpicking is an excellent tactic for control if you have the time and patience, or a small garden. The caterpillars are not dangerous and can neither sting nor bite. If you are squeamish about crushing these large insects, drop them into soapy water instead (or feed them to your chickens if you’ve got a flock).”
Wasps and ladybugs will also help keep hornworms at bay, as does try interplanting dill or basil and colorful marigolds around tomato plants and other plants that these caterpillars love.
Another simple and effective way to keep hornworms away is by tilling. “Till soil at the beginning and end of each gardening season to destroy overwintering larvae. Tillage has been shown to cause up to 90% mortality.” Don’t forget to do that when summer rolls into fall!
Gardener Warns of Common Pest That Destroys More Than Just Tomato Plants first appeared on Parade Home & Garden on Aug 10, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade Home & Garden on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
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