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Tomato Hornworms: How to Identify, Control, and Prevent Them

Image Credit:
Amanda Hill
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Big, green, and hungry—tomato hornworms can wipe out your tomato crop almost overnight. These giant caterpillars love to feast on tomato leaves and fruit, and they won’t stop there. Peppers, eggplants, and potatoes are also on their menu.

”This one is nobody’s friend if you’re a gardener and like to grow tomatoes,” says entomologist Jeff Smith, curator of the Bohart Museum of Entomology’s Lepidoptera collection.

The good news is that these pests are easy to spot once you know what to look for, and they can be controlled without resorting to harsh chemicals. In this guide, learn how to identify tomato hornworms, understand their life cycle, and discover effective natural ways to get rid of them—plus tips to keep them from coming back next year.

🐛 Hornworms munching your tomatoes? Our Almanac Garden Club members get exclusive pest guides, expert webinars, and practical tips to protect their crops. Protect Your Garden Now.

What Are Tomato Hornworms?

If you’ve ever walked out to your tomato plants and found bare stems where lush foliage used to be, chances are hornworms were at work.

  • The tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) and the closely related tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) are garden pests found throughout most of the U.S. and southern Canada.
  • Both species feed on plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae): tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, tobacco, and potatoes.
  • Because of their size and appetite, a small number of hornworms can defoliate plants quickly.

These pests are the larval stage of large night-flying moths (sphinx or hawk moths).

Tomato Hornworm crawling on a tomato vine.
Tomato troublemaker in action—meet the tomato hornworm! Photo by Amanda Hill.

Identification

How to Identify Tomato Hornworms

Look for big, green worms on tomato plants! Hornworms are some of the largest caterpillars in the garden. Key features include:

  • Color: Pale green with V-shaped white markings along the body
  • Horn: Dark, pointed “horn” protruding from the rear
  • Camouflage: Blends almost perfectly with tomato leaves, making them tricky to spot
  • Size: Can reach up to 4–5 inches in length

Tip: Inspect your tomato plants daily. Check the undersides of leaves for eggs and watch for early signs of feeding damage.

Tomato Hornworm vs. Tobacco Hornworm

Both species damage tomato plants, but here’s how to tell them apart:

  • Tomato hornworm: White V-shaped markings; black horn
  • Tobacco hornworm: Diagonal white stripes with black spots; red horn
tobacco hornworm
Can you tell which hornworm this is? 
(It’s a tobacco hornworm! Notice the white stripes with dotted black lines and a red “horn.”) 

Signs of Tomato Hornworm Damage

  • Chewed or missing leaves, often starting at the top of the plant
  • Wilted stems and bare stalks
  • Dark green droppings (frass) on leaves or soil
  • Chewed fruit and sunscald on tomatoes (caused by loss of leaf cover)

Tomato Hornworm Life Cycle

Understanding the life cycle helps you prevent infestations:

  1. Eggs: Laid on undersides of leaves in late spring; hatch within 1 week
  2. Larvae (hornworms): Feed heavily for 3–4 weeks
  3. Pupae: Burrow into soil to overwinter in a cocoon
  4. Adult moths: Five-spotted hawk moths emerge in spring to repeat the cycle

In warmer regions, there may be two generations per year.

Tomato hornworm moth (female)
Tomato hornworm moth (female). Look out for the moths in late spring. Photo by Didier Descouens/Wikimedia Commons.

Control and Prevention

How to Get Rid of Tomato Hornworms

1. Handpicking

  • The most effective method for small gardens:
  • Check plants daily and remove caterpillars by hand
  • Drop them in soapy water, or feed them to backyard chickens

2. Use Organic Controls

  • Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt): A safe, natural bacterium that kills young caterpillars (must be ingested).
  • Neem oil or insecticidal soap: Can work on small caterpillars, but less effective on large hornworms

3. Encourage Natural Predators

  • Parasitic wasps lay eggs on hornworms (you may see white cocoons attached)
  • Ladybugs, green lacewings, and birds also feed on eggs and larvae

If you find a hornworm covered with white cocoons, leave it—the wasps will do the control work for you

A tobacco hornworm covered with parasitic wasp eggs.
Nature’s drama! A tobacco hornworm becomes a nursery for parasitic wasps.

How to Prevent Hornworm Infestations

  • Till soil in fall or spring to destroy overwintering pupae (up to 90% mortality)
  • Rotate crops—avoid planting tomatoes in the same spot year after year
  • Use companion planting: Interplant dill or basil to deter pests; plant marigolds at borders
  • Attract  beneficial insects  by planting nectar-rich flowers

Frequently Asked Questions

Do tomato hornworms bite?
No. They look intimidating, but they cannot sting or bite humans.

What does a tomato hornworm turn into?
A large five-spotted hawk moth, also called a sphinx or hummingbird moth.

When do tomato hornworms appear?
Eggs are laid in late spring, and larvae are most destructive from June through August.

Can tomato hornworms eat other plants?
Yes. They also feed on peppers, potatoes, eggplants, and tobacco.

More Help for Gardeners: See our Garden Pest and Disease Library for tips on other common problems.

Do you have tomato hornworms? How do you handle them in the garden?

Garden Pests

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Shawn Rosvold</span> Sat, 07/27/2013 - 16:33
Has anyone tried neem oil? I've heard it works very well and is about as safe as anything can be.
<span>Mzdiana</span> Wed, 06/11/2014 - 10:34
Neem oil can't be used on plants in hot climates. I tried it last year and it killed the pests as well as my plants. I live in the Southern Central Valley of California, where the temperature is very hot and dry. We have temps of 100+ for at times a month straight and sometimes even longer. I believe that Neem oil cannot be used in temps over 85 degrees. I've read about a cornstarch based bacteria called BT, that is effective at killing hornworms, and its not harmful to plants or animals. Good luck with your garden.
<span>Char Corn</span> Thu, 08/08/2013 - 10:33
I found a huge horn worm on my tomatoes and bean rollers on my beans. I used neem oil and all were gone. They say to use for 7-14 days to make sure. I am using every other day for 7 days. But, I haven't seen any more worms.I use at early evening so it can work all night. Neem oil can't take full sun from the day!
<span>Noemi Winkler</span> Fri, 07/26/2013 - 17:44
Oh my goodness!! I just found three large hornworms on my tomato plants and pepper plants. I kept inspecting my plants and I found eggs in a leaf. Took those off too. Then I found a baby hornworm. Im so upset! This is the first time we have done a vegtable garden. Im pretty proud of my work. I will not let these pesty little green things ruin it.
<span>Suzi Taylor</span> Mon, 07/22/2013 - 13:17
I've been finding adult worms, teeny worms and larvae on backsides of leaves every single day on my plants. I've been picking off no less than 5 a day. Some days 10-15. The natural gardening site recommends 1 cup of vegetable oil, 1.5 cups water and 2 teaspoons dish soap in a spray bottle. You can add white pepper or cayenne if you lie. If you have really hot days, you should spray the concoction on at dusk and make sure to shower the plants with water before the heat of the day to avoid leaf burn. Then repeat the process. it requires some discipline but, they tell me it works and they should be long gone. I'm starting tonight.
<span>Jack Wyatt</span> Sun, 07/21/2013 - 21:26
I found one these critters on my tomato plant about 5 days ago and pinch him off and squshed him on the sidewalk , well i inspect the plant everyday now and not seen one, today i noticed the top of my plant, i only have one, it looked really sparced today, i go look closer and found three huge worms on it, this is also a above ground huge barrel pot i planted it in to to keep from these sort problems but it doesnt work, the plant did look like the best one i ever planted in years and now thse worms have devoured some it in just few hours. Nothing more agrivating then have something like this destroy something gives u joy, so i hate puting any pestcides on my plants even if it says its safe, what can u trust these days, so i just have to keep close eye everyday make sure i keep them off and kill them.
<span>Timothy Hill 95</span> Thu, 07/18/2013 - 03:00
I inspect my tomato plant every day and have never had a problem. Today I went out there and every one of my big juicy red tomatoes have been eaten (including all of the flowers). I found 2 green hornworms on my plant; each one is about 5 inches long. I pulled them off, but I'm afraid my plant is a complete waste now. These are some ugly suckers, and I cannot believe how quick they eat. Within a matter of 5 hours, they managed to eat every tomato I had on my plant...Unbelievable!
<span>Erica Connolly</span> Wed, 07/17/2013 - 10:13
HELP! I have a bunch of small greenish eggs in bunches and rows all over my patio tomato plants. But its on the stems of the tomatoes not the leaves! What r they? And is there a homemade solution to spray on the tomato stems to kill them? Its been over a week and they havent hatched or anything and i see no damage or insecets on my plants.... Idk what they are but i want them gone... Please help thanks!
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 07/17/2013 - 12:28

These good be lacewing eggs.  Lacewings are beneficial insects and eat pests! They love apids. Do not kill them. Perhaps you want to take a sample to your local garden center or cooperative extension.

 <span>Rickzim1</span> Mon, 07/15/2013 - 20:35
I, too, have found these nasty looking hornworms on my tomato plants. I noticed the top stems and leaves looking like they were cut off. After a little inspection I found one hanging upside down on a branch. I fed him to the robins in my yard. I looked around a bit longer and found a tomato damaged on one side. Not far from the tomato, I found another worm. I pulled him off and fed him to the robins too. They were waiting for another tasty morsel. I'm going to get some sevin tomorrow.