Army worms?

[fleetwoodchams]

Army worms -1. A lepidopterous insect, which in the larval state often travels in great multitudes from field to field, destroying grass, grain, and other crops. The common army worm of the northern United States is Leucania unipuncta. The name is often applied to other related species, as the cotton worm. The larva of a small two-winged fly (Sciara), which marches in large companies, in regular order. See Cotton worm, under Cotton. Source: Websters Dictionary






Does anyone have knowledge if these are OK as feeders. They are like a hornworm but have zebra stripes. I am fortunate that a local organic farmer will give me all the hornworms he picks off his tomatoes also offered army worms. Please can someone let me know so I can in turn let him know which ones to save for me.

Thanks!

 

[Olimpia]

Don't feed off anything that has been feasting on tomato plants, these are toxic so the worms would be toxic as well. People sometimes take in wild hornworms and use those to start a breeding program but they don't feed off the originals. Just FYI. I don't know anything about these army worms but if they also eat tomatos then I wouldn't feed them off directly either.

 

[Andee]

These things have been eating my kale so I would like to know the answer as well XD

 

[fleetwoodchams]

Don't feed off anything that has been feasting on tomato plants, these are toxic so the worms would be toxic as well. People sometimes take in wild hornworms and use those to start a breeding program but they don't feed off the originals. Just FYI. I don't know anything about these army worms but if they also eat tomatos then I wouldn't feed them off directly either.

Thanks Olympia!

If they did not eat tomatoes they would be OK?
I can ask that he only gives me the worms that he gets out of the non-tomato garden.
Also if I choose just to start a breeding colony, how hard are they to raise?
I have never bred or raised any feeders before but I like that I control what they eat and obviously the cost and convenience.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Olimpia]

I'm on my phone or I would link you to some resources but there is a good breeding tutorial in the blog section, I forget by who though. If you search I'm sure it'll be the first one to pop up, it's shared a lot. By SMSCARY, I believe?

If the hornworms come from other non-toxic plants they should be safe (but I'm not sure), it's just that tomatos are from the nightshade family, so the leaves are toxic (to us as well.)

 

[fleetwoodchams]

I'm on my phone or I would link you to some resources but there is a good breeding tutorial in the blog section, I forget by who though. If you search I'm sure it'll be the first one to pop up, it's shared a lot. By SMSCARY, I believe?

If the hornworms come from other non-toxic plants they should be safe (but I'm not sure), it's just that tomatos are from the nightshade family, so the leaves are toxic (to us as well.)

Thanks olympia,

I only found a blog by Pigglet but a good one on raising feeders including hornworms.
I also looked into the great lakes hornworm site and it states very clearly DO NOT FEED WORMS THAT HAVE EATEN TOMATO PLANTS. So right on the money with your post.
Did not find anything on armyworms however the tomato thing will still apply. So I think I will just take whatever he can give me and start a colony as Pigglet's blog shows.

Have a great weekend!