Help identifying these pests

Hollylasue · May 11, 2016

Ok so I was checking my tomato plants today , pulling ground level leaves and weeds, anywho I noticed a large percentage of my plants have these tiny pink/red bugs.Also one plant had this worm and some little off white bugs.Are these friendly or no?If no how do I get rid of them?Thanks so much!
[IMG]http://www.tomatoville.com/picture.php?albumid=388&pictureid=2120

ginger2778 · May 11, 2016

Those are aphids, the worm is a tomato fruitworm. I suspect the tiny off white ones are a more immature aphid instar. Insecticidal soap works great on aphids, or just soapy water. Add some BT( Thurcide or Dipel are 2 brands) to your soapy water to kill caterpillars. BT gives them an infection and they die in about a day.
Must treat the aphids every 4 days for 3 times ti kill all the stages. The BT needs to only be used once, but then every 10 days or so as a preventive.

Hollylasue · May 11, 2016

Thank you so much.I will get all that tomorrow.

Tracydr · May 11, 2016

After soapy water,if you can get some lady bugs that would help. The soapy water doesn't have residual so you can use it and add your lady bugs as soon as you get them.

May 11, 2016	#1
Hollylasue Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: GroveOak Al Posts: 91	Help identifying these pests Ok so I was checking my tomato plants today , pulling ground level leaves and weeds, anywho I noticed a large percentage of my plants have these tiny pink/red bugs.Also one plant had this worm and some little off white bugs.Are these friendly or no?If no how do I get rid of them?Thanks so much! [IMG]http://www.tomatoville.com/picture.php?albumid=388&pictureid=2120

May 11, 2016	#2
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Those are aphids, the worm is a tomato fruitworm. I suspect the tiny off white ones are a more immature aphid instar. Insecticidal soap works great on aphids, or just soapy water. Add some BT( Thurcide or Dipel are 2 brands) to your soapy water to kill caterpillars. BT gives them an infection and they die in about a day. Must treat the aphids every 4 days for 3 times ti kill all the stages. The BT needs to only be used once, but then every 10 days or so as a preventive.

May 11, 2016	#4
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	After soapy water,if you can get some lady bugs that would help. The soapy water doesn't have residual so you can use it and add your lady bugs as soon as you get them.