What's eating my tomato?

Tomatoes face a wide range of pests. Tomato hornworms can strip foliage overnight, while aphids and whiteflies weaken plants and spread disease. Spider mites are severe in hot dry summers. Outdoors, birds may peck ripe fruit and cutworms sever seedlings at soil level. Regular scouting is essential.

Large green caterpillars strip leaves and fruit; dark frass on leaves is the telltale sign Hand-pick caterpillars; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray; hornworms with white egg cases are parasitised — leave those alone

Colonies on shoot tips and undersides of leaves; distorted new growth; sticky honeydew and sooty mold Blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap spray; encourage ladybirds and lacewings; use reflective mulch as a deterrent

Clouds of tiny white insects fly up when disturbed; honeydew on foliage; yellowing leaves Yellow sticky traps; insecticidal soap or pyrethrin spray under leaves; avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen

Seedlings severed at or below soil level overnight; fat grey-brown caterpillars found in soil Place cardboard or plastic collars around stems at planting; apply Bt to soil; remove by hand when found