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Suze · February 19, 2006

I have had the same pests the past two years. They are flying creatures, very pretty red and black. They seem to leave a very small blister on the tomatoes - the tomatoes are, for the most part, still edible, sometimes a black bit inside where they have been. They don't so much fly around the tomato patch as they flush out of the plants when I am in there picking. I have used BT but with really no impact.

Cyn, this sounds like leaf footed bugs -- a common pest here. BT is not going to help. Insecticidal soaps supposedly have an effect on the nymphs, but not the adults. Very difficult to kill unless one breaks out the big guns (carbaryl aka Sevin). The best way I've found to deal with them is to just plant lots and lots of ornamental millet and hollyhocks well away from the patch. They much prefer these plants to tomatoes, especially the millet. I rarely have any leaf footed or stink bug damage to any of my tomatoes, but the millet is covered in 'em.

Also, the kaolin clay sprays like Surround WP that coat the plant are also supposed to deter leaf footed and stink bugs.

http://images.google.com/images?q=le...=Search+Images

Also, last summer, a few tomatoes have really perfect round holes in them - something had burrowed through and eaten, then left - the part of the tomato not eaten was fine.

any suggestions on what these might be (same pest or different) and what might help this season would be appreciated.

Probably some sort of caterpillar, like a tomato pinworm/fruitworm/cornworm. The BT may help somewhat with that if used on a regular basis (once a week). Keep in mind that the worms need to ingest the BT first before it has any effect -- it doesn't kill on contact). Also, frequently inspecting the plants and picking worms off in the spring before the population can get too out of control is a big help.

February 19, 2006	#2
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	I have had the same pests the past two years. They are flying creatures, very pretty red and black. They seem to leave a very small blister on the tomatoes - the tomatoes are, for the most part, still edible, sometimes a black bit inside where they have been. They don't so much fly around the tomato patch as they flush out of the plants when I am in there picking. I have used BT but with really no impact. Cyn, this sounds like leaf footed bugs -- a common pest here. BT is not going to help. Insecticidal soaps supposedly have an effect on the nymphs, but not the adults. Very difficult to kill unless one breaks out the big guns (carbaryl aka Sevin). The best way I've found to deal with them is to just plant lots and lots of ornamental millet and hollyhocks well away from the patch. They much prefer these plants to tomatoes, especially the millet. I rarely have any leaf footed or stink bug damage to any of my tomatoes, but the millet is covered in 'em. Also, the kaolin clay sprays like Surround WP that coat the plant are also supposed to deter leaf footed and stink bugs. http://images.google.com/images?q=le...=Search+Images Also, last summer, a few tomatoes have really perfect round holes in them - something had burrowed through and eaten, then left - the part of the tomato not eaten was fine. any suggestions on what these might be (same pest or different) and what might help this season would be appreciated. Probably some sort of caterpillar, like a tomato pinworm/fruitworm/cornworm. The BT may help somewhat with that if used on a regular basis (once a week). Keep in mind that the worms need to ingest the BT first before it has any effect -- it doesn't kill on contact). Also, frequently inspecting the plants and picking worms off in the spring before the population can get too out of control is a big help.