Carter and I planted a fantastic garden this summer. We even protected the tomato and pepper plants with netting. When we returned from California this past weekend, we checked on the plants. To our dismay, our tomato plant was missing branchfuls of leaves. D'oh!
We thought it might be an animal getting through our netting based on the large grenade shaped presents left for us at the base of the plant.
After a few more branches were eaten clean, we got FED UP. So at dinner tonight I Googled "What eats tomato leaves?" It turns out, an insect does!!! It also turns out it camouflages so well with the plant you often don't see it. We had to go out for a second look, and based on the size of this Tomato Hornworm, I can't believe we missed it the first time. It was the size of a finger and it totally blended in with the plant!
Carter was brave enough to endure my shrieks and dump the worm in soapy water (it doesn't bite, but that knowledge didn't deter my skittishness). Carter even pulled the worm out of the water so we could get this last image.
The enemy is DONE.
Long live the tomato plants.
2 comments:
What intrigues me most about the whole thing is those turds. Can we say grenades?
Jamie,
That is what made me think it was a squirrel or something larger!!
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