A few of my lovely tomatoes have fallen prey to the tomato pinworm, also known as Keiferia lycopersicella (Walshingham). During their lives as worms, they drill small pin-sized holes
into the tomato. They eventually become moths. Throw away affected tomatoes. I took this photo minutes ago. They attack other members of the nightshade family as well, including eggplant and potatoes. A very informative website on the tomato pinworm, with good photos (so you can see the types of damages these pests cause) and helpful tips on managing this pest, can be found here: http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/veg/tomato/tomato_pinworm.htm
CONSUMER ALERT UPDATE: The non-fruit parts of tomato plants are poisonous if ingested. More information on toxic plants can be found here: http://www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/ce/king/poisplant/tox-com.htm
Filed under: Gardening | Tagged: consumer alert, container gardening, eggplant, fruits, Gardening, Keiferia lycopersicella Walshingham, nightshade family, pest management, poisonous, potatoes, Solanaceae, tomato pinworm, tomatoes, toxic plants, vegetables
