What's eating my tomatoes!

Back Home · Jul 17, 2016

Some elusive varmint has been eating my tomatoes for over a month now. I've had a trail cam up for weeks and still can't figure out what it is. I've ruled out deer since the camera would have easily picked them up. I don't think a bird would eat the center of a tomato. A coon or possum would have been picked up by the camera.

So, that leaves squirrels. I'd never heard of it, but that's the only animal I can think of that might be small enough to sneak away without getting caught.

Anyone else have any ideas

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WTM · Jul 18, 2016

are the tomatoes being eaten on the vine? or are you finding them strewn about on the ground?

if they are left on the vine, look for black droppings on the ground and some eaten leaves. hornworms. find and kill them on the underside of stems then spray sevin.

if they are being pulled, then either deer or squirrels. if it is hot and dry, deer will demolish tomato plants for the water and squirrels will usually pull them and run off. squirrels will also eat bell pepper, peaches. apples.

catman529 · Jul 18, 2016

Looks like hornworm damage to me. You should see some bare leaf "stems" where the caterpillars ate the foliage as well

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Back Home · Jul 19, 2016

Thanks for all the replies. The tomatoes are always off the plant when I find them like this. I've found them as far as 10 yards away from the plant and sometimes beside the plant. They have never been eaten and left on the stem. And I've so far not seen any worms. Beats me though. I've got plants that are 6 feet tall that just get stripped clean. If I didn't have to work, I'd watch more.