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Tomato Pests & Diseases

Larva like on Tomatillo leaves

15 years ago

In AZ low desert.

Tomatillos were health and strong. Then got a sudden and very heavy infestation of a larva/grub pest like munching on nearly every leaf with rapid and devastating effect (took out 50% of leaves in 24hrs). They are between 1/6" to 1/4", slimy with black head and grouping of tiny legs at front. They have a ridge like bump on their back. Plant is equally covered with black waste they create. They are disgusting.

They have not attacked any of the tomatoes or peppers in same garden, even where leaves touch.

Any ideas?

Al

Comments (2)

noisebeam
Original Author
15 years ago
I am fairly sure these are them:
http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=5084012

The adults:
http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=1243161

The host is correct (Mexican Groundcherry aka Tomatillo)

Is it at all possible they will transfer to peppers, tomatoes, eggplant or mellon/squash?

What is the best (ideally organic method) control?

Thanks-
Al
katib_gardener
15 years ago
Al--

I am in Tucson AZ and my tomatillos fell victim to something that looks very similar, best I could come up with is some type of potato beetle (which is what your picture shows, but mine had different markings). I doused them several times with what I thought was neem and was losing the battle, until I realized I had mixed up my neem with my fungicide. Once I started spraying neem, they got under better control, but I finally had to go to Sevin once they started taking down my nearby tomato, rosemary and mint plants (those things will devour a mint plant in hours).
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