Big disappointment - grim satisfaction!

[Pupsnpullets]

With my various running around I've been doing lately I neglected to pay attention to my tomato plants. Well, this morning one of them was bald. Completely denuded of all vegetation! On closer inspection - relatively easy at this point

- I found huge fat green caterpillars with horns on them! Grrroossss! I got out a bowl and spent the next 40 minutes 'plucking' my tomatos. Some of those things were 4" long!! Ewww.

Then I went to the chicken coop

Those girls had the time of their lives, but, even so, the biggest of the grubs were too big for them. Lots of protein rich eggs is next few days - but no fried tomatoes to go with them

 

[dangerouschicken]

Someone else here had that same situation today!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=79019

 

[Peaguy]

Those are horned tomato worms and are very devestating to a "mater" crop the best to do is pick them off as you see them( you can usesome pesticides but why? when you have free protein for the eggers?) and , okay feed them to the chickens ...or... stomp on them.... or depending on how frustrated with them you are...
I'm sorry you'll miss out on the fried green maters! I LOVE them that way!

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Quote:
So they did! I still think they're nasty boogers. Feeding them to the girls seemed to be the right thing to do. Thanks, dc.