What's eating my 'costoluto genovese' tomato?

'Costoluto Genovese' is a ribbed Italian heirloom tomato whose deep folds and crevices trap moisture, creating entry points for pests. Hornworms, aphids, and fruitworms are the main threats. Its indeterminate vines also attract spider mites in hot, dry spells. Stay on top of foliage checks from mid-summer onward.

Rapid defoliation; large green caterpillars; frass clusters visible on stems and soil. Hand-pick; Bt spray in evening; preserve parasitized hornworms to release wasps.

Dense colonies on shoot tips; sticky honeydew; virus risk; sooty mould on leaves. Strong water jet; insecticidal soap; attract hoverflies with umbellifers planted nearby.

Fine webbing on undersides of leaves; bronze or silver stippling; leaves dry out rapidly in hot weather. Increase irrigation and humidity; spray undersides with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil; avoid dusty conditions.

Holes in low fruit and at soil level; slime trails; ribbed fruit crevices trap debris and worsen damage. Iron phosphate pellets; beer traps; hand-pick after dark; clear mulch away from stem base.