Welcome to the world of tomato gardening pests. If you are a new tomato gardener, then you have likely discovered that there are many different things that can affect your tomato plant. While some problems are easily avoidable, others are a bit more difficult to avoid but do not necessarily mean that they are impossible to control. This list of 20 most common tomato plant pests and their cures will help you identify a problem quickly and hopefully show you how to fix it, thus saving your tomato plant and possibly your garden, too.
Whiteflies. These pesky insects can actually do more than simply destroy your tomato crops; they can also ruin or stunt the development of your companion plants. They have a very particular diet, which means that if you do not get them to stop feeding on your berries and other fruits and vegetables, your garden might suffer.
Black insects. There are two general types of these pests; adult and nymph. The nymphs are much less damaging to your tomato plants than the adult varieties and often appear in groups on the undersides of leaves where they feed on new growth and can actually cause problems like leaf discoloration.
Aphids. If you haven’t heard of these insects, don’t worry – they are actually quite beneficial to your tomato crops. However, they can be a real pest if you let them get out of control. Aphids feed on the sap of your fruits and vegetables and can damage and sometimes even kill your tomato plants by going into the stems and eating the plant’s roots
Spider mites. These insects get into your plants through the plant’s leaves. They can generally be identified by a tiny black or brown spot on the leaves that may not be visible to the naked eye. The best way to get rid of these pests is to apply an insecticidal soap to the leaves a few times each week. It is also a good idea to use an insecticide spray on the plant after each watering to prevent the development of new webs.
Tomato plant diseases. Of course this is a common assumption that people make when considering what is eating my tomato plants. One problem is that tomato plants are naturally prone to bacterial infections, especially if you do not sterilize your gardening tools and equipment. Other common diseases include powdery mildew and spider mites. You can purchase commercially available insecticidal soap sprays and insecticides at your local nursery or gardening supply store.
Silverleaf whitefly. This is a pesky little pest that can spread quickly and become very resistant to many different forms of treatment. The most common symptom of silverleaf whitefly is small black specks that appear on the leaves. There are several other name brands, you can buy in the garden center.
Hornworms. If you have ever eaten a clove of garlic with a clove of onion you know exactly what these bugs taste like. Adult hookworms reach a width of one inch. They often build a tunnel network under the bark of trees. Some of the more common species are bemisia tabaci, silverleaf whitefly and albino whitefly.
Leaf-footed bugs. These pests are small, about half an inch long. They can be found in fields, along roads, and trails. They often eat tomatoes. Two common species are leaf-footed buggers and whip worms.
Green stink bugs. There are about 400 known species of this pest. Of those, some are common plants that are found in the southeastern United States. Some well-known species are green stink bugs, white-fly, and silver-fly. In most of the cases the plants infected with leaf-footed bugs are young ones that are developing.
Blackfly, and whitefly larvae. Blackfly and whitefly larvae are a nuisance and can eat up all the new growth of a plant. If you see adult blackfly or whitefly larvae on a plant, do not touch it. The eggs they lay will hatch into adult blackflies and whiteflies that will continue to attack your plants until you do remove the pupae.