Content
- Bio-control caterpillars on tomatoes
- Vegetable owl responsible for caterpillar grazing on tomatoes
- With scented traps it is the butterflies on the collar
- Caterpillars on tomatoes fight in harmony with nature
- Tips & Tricks
Bio-control caterpillars on tomatoes
The sight shakes hobby gardeners to the core: there crawl large caterpillars over the tomatoes, eat the fruits and leaves. What are the pests and how to drive the brood, you can find out here.
Vegetable owl responsible for caterpillar grazing on tomatoes
The vegetable owl is a moth whose prey spectrum preferably includes tomatoes in the greenhouse. The females lay their green eggs on the tomato plants, from which the caterpillars hatch already after one week. These make their way over the fruits and leaves in the summer into autumn.
With a length of 45 millimeters, the pests are easy to recognize. Nevertheless, the feeding damage first catches the eye because the caterpillars hide during the day. Anyone who does not counteract the first signs of infestation risks an explosive increase in the gluttonous brood. Tomato cultivation has been exemplary until then, the harvest is still in danger so close to the end of the season.
With scented traps it is the butterflies on the collar
For responsible hobby gardeners, the grip on chemical preparations prohibits itself. In the biological pest control, a method has been developed, after which the vegetable owl is beaten with their own weapons. We are talking about pheromone traps that simulate a fragrance that attracts and captures moths that are willing to mate. In the hobby greenhouse is already sufficient a trap to put an end to the haunting.
It is important to note that scent traps are only suitable for controlling caterpillars on tomatoes in the greenhouse. In the field, the pheromones invite all vegetable owls of the environment into your garden.
Caterpillars on tomatoes fight in harmony with nature
Where the use of pheromone traps does not make sense, the following natural control methods are available:
In addition, researchers found that Bacillus thuringiensis is a natural remedy against caterpillars. In organic agriculture, the bacterium has been proven to be effective because it acts exclusively on the pests.
Tips & Tricks
If the fragrance traps are upgraded with UV light or a lamp, this measure significantly increases the efficiency. The nocturnal moths are caught in this way from two sides: pheromones and light.