Tobacco Hornworm on Solanaceous Crops

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Tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta). Tobacco hornworms are similar to tomato hornworms, and both cause significant foliar injury to tomato as well as peppers. Both can be several inches in length. Tobacco hornworms generally have a red “horn” and diagonal white stripes on their sides; tomato hornworms have a black horn and white v-shaped stripes. Both
pests are common in Kentucky. The green hornworms may blend in and be hard to locate at first; however, they leave behind rather large black-brown frass deposits as evidence of their presence, and further scouting is warranted when such deposits are seen. Adult hornworms first appear as moths in late spring to lay eggs. Moths are quite large, approaching several inches in length. Often tobacco hornworms will be attacked by a parasitic wasp, Cotesia sp., which lays eggs inside tobacco hornworms. Wasp larvae grow internally and emerge in white cocoons.

Tobacco hornworm on pepper.