HORNWORM

HORNWORM
Hornworms are the larvae stage of the Tobacco, Hawk, or Tomato Sphinx Moth. They have a large horn on the posterior end of the body, which is how they get their name. The tobacco hornworm has seven diagonal stripes on each side of the body, while the tomato hornworm has eight chevron-shaped stripes.

Damage
Hornworms are daytime feeders, and will feed on just about everything--blossoms, leaves, and fruit. When a hornworm population is high, they will greatly defoliate plants and scar the fruit. Hornworms produce large, deep cavities in the fruit. Usually they are not a problem in the warmer interior valleys unless their natural enemies are disrupted, and then they can do serious damage. Hornworms can also occur in garden situations.

Life Cycle
Hornworm eggs are laid on leaves. The larvae hatch and feed for 3 or 4 weeks, then burrow into the soil to pupate. The adult Tobacco or Tomato moth is a good flier, with a wingspan up to 5 inches. The life cycle can take only about 2 months in summer, with the larvae most common in midsummer. Winter is passed in the pupal stage. There can be two generations a year in most areas.