tomato hornworm
Definition
Noun 1. A large, green, white-striped caterpillar (larva of a hawkmoth): The tomato hornworm is the larval stage of the five-spotted hawkmoth (Manduca quinquemaculata). It is a significant agricultural pest known for its voracious appetite for plants in the nightshade family, particularly tomato and potato plants. It is visually similar to, but a distinct species from, the tobacco hornworm.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The gardener found a large tomato hornworm eating the leaves of her prized tomato plant.
- Identifying the tomato hornworm early is key to protecting your vegetable garden.
- While similar, the tomato hornworm has eight V-shaped markings and a black horn, unlike the tobacco hornworm.
Advanced Usage
- As a subject of biological control: The term is used in agricultural science when discussing pest management.
- Parasitic wasps are a natural predator used to control tomato hornworm populations.
Variants and Related Words
- Tobacco hornworm (): A closely related species that feeds on tobacco, tomato, and other plants. It is often confused with the tomato hornworm but has seven diagonal white stripes and a red horn.
- Hawkmoth / Sphinx moth (Family Sphingidae): The adult moth form of the hornworm caterpillar.
- Hornworm: A general common name for the large, horn-tailed caterpillars of hawkmoths.
Synonyms
- Caterpillar: The general term for the larval stage of butterflies and moths.
- Larva: The juvenile, wingless, and often wormlike feeding form of an insect.
- Pest: An organism detrimental to humans or human concerns, such as agriculture.
Related Phrases
- To handpick hornworms: A common organic gardening method for control.
- The most effective immediate solution is to handpick the hornworms from the plants.
Noun
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large green white-striped hawkmoth larva that feeds on tomato and potato plants; similar to tobacco hornworm
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