Tomatoes are rather easy to grow, especially in warmer climates. They can come back several years in a row and leave you with plenty of these delicious fruits over the summer. Unfortunately, though they’re easy to care for, certain pests make the job harder. Some of the most common pests can destroy a tomato plant in a matter of days.
Before starting your garden, it’s a good idea to understand some of the most common pests of tomato plants. That way, if you notice something attacking your plant, you can identify it quickly and work on removing it from your garden. The 15 pests below are some of the most common and can cause the most damage.
Continue reading to learn about the most common pests and the best way to remove them from your garden before they start causing problems. That way, you can keep your tomato plants growing all summer, and possibly into the next year.
1. Aphids
Aphids damage pretty much any plant they come in contact with and attract ants.
©iStock.com/Wirestock
How to Get Rid of Them: These soft bugs are easy to squish. If that grosses you out, ladybugs and green lacewings do a good job of killing them off.
2. Tomato Fruitworms
Also called corn earworms, these caterpillars eat tomatoes, peppers, and corn.
©iStock.com/Bhupinder Bagga
How to Get Rid of Them: Pick off the eggs and caterpillars any time you see them. Wasps and orius bugs also feast on these insects, so they’re good to keep around.
3. Tarnished Plant Bug
Though these bugs are hard to see, they have pretty distinct damage patterns of black spots on leaves and stems and cloudy spots on the fruits.
©Prem Madhavani/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: Remove nearby weeds and allow predatory insects to make their home in your garden. Also, planting garlic nearby can keep them away.
4. Whiteflies
These little white bugs spread diseases and damage leaf tissue.
©iStock.com/Andrei310
How to Get Rid of Them: The best way to keep these pests from killing your plants is to keep your tomatoes happy and healthy.
5. Stalk Borer
As their name suggests, stalk borers dig into the stem of a plant and eventually kill it.
©Xtremest/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: Unfortunately, once infested, quick removal of the plant is the only way to stop these pests from spreading. Use plenty of mulch and kill any nearby weeds to keep them far away from your garden.
6. Leaf Miners
Leafminers are so-called because of the white trails they create on leaves.
©Pics Man24/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: Sticky traps around tomato plants help catch adults before they lay their eggs on the leaf.
7. Spider Mites
Spider mites are small and hard to see with the naked eye, but may create white spots on the top of tomato leaves.
©Tomasz Klejdsz/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: These mites prefer tressed plants, so keeping your tomatoes happy and healthy is key.
8. Stink Bugs
Stink bugs damage fruits by stabbing the plant and sucking out the insides.
©V.P.I/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: Keep your garden clean and tidy in the winter to prevent any from moving in and making nests when it’s cool.
9. Blister Beetles
Blister beetles aren’t only dangerous to your plants, but to you as well.
©Suede Chen/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: Birds love these beetles, so letting them roam free is a good idea, or you can pick them off with gloves.
10. Root-Knot Nematodes
Nematodes are found in places with short winters and hot summers.
©The natures/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: Planting marigolds around your tomato plants is one of the best options. For indoor plants, total sanitation of gardening tools, puts and soil is required.
11. Leafhoppers
Leafhoppers only attack tomato plants on occasion but can cause problems if not handled immediately.
©Jordan Roper/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: Neem oil spray, insecticidal soap, and diatomaceous earth are three of the best ways to get rid of leafhoppers.
12. Hornworms
Despite their size,
hornworms
may be hard to see because they blend in with tomato plants.
©iStock.com/lauraag
How to Get Rid of Them: The fastest method is to pick them up by hand and drop them in soapy water.
13. Snails and Slugs
Snails and slugs only really start to cause problems when there are too many in one space.
©Aron M/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: For the most part, birds and other animals will control the populations, but picking them up by hand is another solution if there is an abundance.
14. Flea Beetles
While flea beetles rarely kill tomato plants, they can do a lot of damage.
©Oakland Images/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: Basil and nasturtiums are natural repellents but sticky traps and diatomaceous earth also do well at repelling these insects if used correctly.
15. Colorado Potato Beetle
Despite their name, these beetles are found all across North America and cause serious damage to all nightshade plants.
©Laszlo Szelenczey/Shutterstock.com
How to Get Rid of Them: The best way to remove them is to remove the adults by hand and place them in soapy water.
How to Add Us to Google News
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the AZ Animals editorial team
Thank you for your feedback!
We appreciate your help in improving our content.
Our editorial team will review your suggestions and make any necessary updates.
There was an error submitting your feedback. Please try again.
Related Articles You May Find Interesting
8 Creatures With 8 Legs That AREN’T Spiders
The Dark Side of the Betta Boom: How Popularity Fuels Inhumane Breeding Practices
You Won’t Believe All These Animals Eat Wood
Here’s When You Can Spot Monarch Migrations in Kansas This Year
Everything You Need to Know to Protect Your Pets From Ticks This Season
From Maggots to Millipedes, These Animals Aid in Decomposition
10 Things You Can Do to Attract Helpful Dragonflies to Your Yard
Here’s How to Tell What Animals Are Digging Up Your Yard and How to Stop Them
5 Reasons Why You Should Only Plant Native Plants In Your Garden
5 Mind-Blowing Facts About the Ocean — Just in Time for World Ocean Day
The Best Way You Can Save the Bees and Butterflies
