[aelf]

As if we haven't got enough to contend with this year, I've just found big fat green catapillers on my greenhouse toms! In 30 years of growing toms, I've experienced practically every problem, disaster and success but this is the first time I've had this problem 

[hamstergbert]

If you firmly and repeatedly tap the stems of a caterpillar-invaded tomato plant they drop out on the end of silk bungees (or some just drop).  If you leave them they would eventually climb back in of course but with them hanging in mid air they are easy to introduce to the old finger and thumb......

[savbo]

I've had these for a couple of years in a small way. Did they have a faint pale green line along their side? I originally thought they were Hebrew Character moths but this winter I found a bunch of pupae and kept them...a few weeks ago they hatched (much to the pleasure of me and daughter!) and they were 'Bright-line brown-eye' moths.

Kept on top of them last year by picking and putting on bird table

seemed to prefer the bush toms, esp Roma, though maybe that's the shlter more than the taste...

sav

[aelf]

Hi Savbo and Hamstergbert,

yes they do look as you describe, thanks for the info. I have been shaking the plants and gathering them off the soil, then throwing them on the greenhouse roof for the birds