Tomato worm ?

[jrh3]

How ofter should you feed tomato worms to a vieled?

 

[boj3434]

To an adult once a week would be good if you want to feed them off but they are more of a good treat.

 

[graydon]

You will be fine if you fed hornworms more than once a week. Me and a lot of other keepers try and stay away from a "staple". Cham's dont eat one insect in the wild so variety is key.

 

[jrh3]

I was just wondering because during summers down here in alabama i run across about 500 hundred each year on our tomato plants from small to large.

 

[graydon]

I was just wondering because during summers down here in alabama i run across about 500 hundred each year on our tomato plants from small to large.

DO NOT FEED THOSE WORMS. I saw a video where wasps actually lay there eggs on the worms and infect them. Not only that those worms have been in some sort of pesticides for sure. Check out mullbery farms or www.coastalsilkworms.com for hornworms. Do not feed wild ones.

 

[jrh3]

The wasp eggs is more of a worry to me than pesticide because the tomato plants are on familyland and we dont spray, we keep them organic. Thanks for the wasp advice.

 

[graydon]

The wasp eggs is more of a worry to me than pesticide because the tomato plants are on familyland and we dont spray, we keep them organic. Thanks for the wasp advice.

I gotcha. No problem

 

[Digby Rigby]

The tomato plants are toxic, naturally toxic regardless of pesticides or organic farming like tobacco. Toxins can not be flushed out of the hornworms. If you get wild ones and feed them something else they will still have whatever toxins they got from the tomato plants they ate. Tomato plants are solonaceous which I believe are related to deadly nightshade.

About the only part of the tomato plant which is not toxic is the tomato itself. Worms which have never been fed solonaceous plants are the only ones that should be used.

If by staple you mean a regular feeder, then they are okay to use as opposed to the only feeder. The reason some people do not use them regularly is a matter of cost not suitablity.

Digby Rigby _______________________

 

[jrh3]

Thanks then the worms are a no go for the wild ones.