How does the government allow these things to be sold, when they have prevented me from buying 100 watt light bulbs for my house anymore? Sheesh!

They have an arrangement with China.

ncrealestateguy, the last time I looked, 100w incandescent bulbs were still available in two Big Box stores here.

100w incandescent bulbs can't be produced here, but apparently can still be sold? And obviously there's still plenty of demand.

I remember reading that somewhere in Europe their sale had been outlawed, but they were still being sold as heat bulbs rather than light bulbs....

I guess I'm weird as I find hornworm hunting to be MUCH easier in the daylight than after dark. Now slugs, that is a nighttime hunt for sure.

Dave

Yeah, me too, Dave. And now that you've mentioned it, I'll confess my ignorance: why is it easier in the night, garf? Do they glow in the dark? Or are you simply being smart enough to avoid the midday heat?

Though really, there are things out there in the middle of the night that I wouldn't want to encounter:

= raccoons (many here are rabid),

=whatever-it-is that makes the scary night-time noise none of the old-timers can identify,

= coyotes,

= whatever-it-is the old-timers know is out there but refuse to tell me about.

The worms hide during the heat of the day. At night, they are usually found on the top of the plant or at least exposed in plain sight. A strong flashlight makes it easy.

Hmmm must be a zone 10 thing that my hornworms haven't caught onto yet. Here it is the early bird that gets the worm. ;)

Dave

Me too Dave. I get them early, hanging near the top.

I was nicknamed "Eagle-eye" as a child; maybe that's why I catch them in the daytime.

Must be because he has that fancy hornworm flashlight that the rest of you dont, and I bet he knows where you can buy one .That flashlight is so special it can even find 'em in daylight

I've got one of those fancy led flashlights which has UV type LED's. It was bought for looking for septic runoff around our summer lake.

Kinda pricey, as I recall about $65. But I have the thing and it just might work! If it lights them up I'll pick them off in the evening and feed them to the bass!

That would be good for spotting copperheads which I would have to watch for out at night. If you spray the tomato plant with the hose, the horn worms move and you can see them in daytime. The trouble is by the time they are big and fat and easy to track by their poo, they have already eaten your tomato.

My favorite hunting tool is my Blazer PB-207 butane lighter. It's one of those high-power, 1600 degree blowtorch types.

Makes hornworms nice and crispy.

I thought I was sadistic using scissors.

I thought I was sadistic throwing them on the asphalt driveway where if the birds didn't find them, the sun would fry them.

I know this a very late follow-up but I had to put in my two cents hoping someone would find this post this year.. Hunting these critters is in deed best done at night and the very best way to find them is with an ultraviolet (black light) flashlight. They light up like a San Francisco rock concert poster from the 60s. They glow bright green and are easy to pick off. I got my flashlight off Amazon for 8 bucks.

FWIW: I saw on a Youtube video someone recommending that you put a tuna can on a stake near your garden; fill it with peanuts. The peanuts attract birds. Why do you want to attract birds to the garden? They have good eyes and notice movement, and when they see a hornworm they make a meal of him.

Anyone ever heard of this, or tried it? Sounds a little strange to me, but the other advice he gives in the video seems legit.

Here is a link that might be useful: tomato video

One year I hunted with a blowtorch. Very satisfying.

Hey all,

Posting this on behalf of Mom :)

For my fellow gardeners: Hubby and I just did our own Myth Busting. He gave me a 22" blacklight for my birthday (romantic que no?) because I read that tomato hornworms glow... didn't really believe it but
I had to give it a try. We are here to tell you IT WORKS!!!! Very very cool!

Has anyone seen the flies that lay eggs on the hornworm. I felt so sorry for the worm that I squashed it but I have been encouraging those flies every since. There are u-tube videos that show exactly what I saw. The fly looks like an ordinary big fly or did until I figured out which ones attack the hornworms.

Here is a link that might be useful: trachnid fly