I have noticed a few leaves being almost totally eaten - they look like a
cobweb with the majority of the leaf having been eaten.

When I looked closely I found a number of small caterpillars - about 1mm to
2mm diameter - upto 1cm long.

Plain light green - with a yellowish light line down the body just above legs.


I have grown tomatoes for years - and have never seen them before.

Any ideas please?

On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 15:38:03 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:




I have noticed a few leaves being almost totally eaten - they look like a
cobweb with the majority of the leaf having been eaten.

When I looked closely I found a number of small caterpillars - about 1mm to
2mm diameter - upto 1cm long.

Plain light green - with a yellowish light line down the body just above legs.


I have grown tomatoes for years - and have never seen them before.

Any ideas please?


I have since found a bigger specimen: see photo of same


http://i58.tinypic.com/dg1lp4.jpg

There also seems like a "spider's web" being exuded by at least the smaller
ones.

"Judith in England" wrote

I have noticed a few leaves being almost totally eaten - they look like a
cobweb with the majority of the leaf having been eaten.

When I looked closely I found a number of small caterpillars - about 1mm
to
2mm diameter - upto 1cm long.

Plain light green - with a yellowish light line down the body just above
legs.


I have grown tomatoes for years - and have never seen them before.

Any ideas please?


I have since found a bigger specimen: see photo of same


http://i58.tinypic.com/dg1lp4.jpg

There also seems like a "spider's web" being exuded by at least the smaller
ones.


It's, would you believe, the Tomato Moth (Lacanobia oleracea). :-)
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 18:25:41 +0100, "Bob Hobden" wrote:

"Judith in England" wrote

I have noticed a few leaves being almost totally eaten - they look like a
cobweb with the majority of the leaf having been eaten.

When I looked closely I found a number of small caterpillars - about 1mm
to
2mm diameter - upto 1cm long.

Plain light green - with a yellowish light line down the body just above
legs.


I have grown tomatoes for years - and have never seen them before.

Any ideas please?


I have since found a bigger specimen: see photo of same


http://i58.tinypic.com/dg1lp4.jpg

There also seems like a "spider's web" being exuded by at least the smaller
ones.


It's, would you believe, the Tomato Moth (Lacanobia oleracea). :-)


Many thanks Bob - now why did I just not guess that !!

On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 19:38:04 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:

On Wed, 30 Jul 2014 18:25:41 +0100, "Bob Hobden" wrote:

"Judith in England" wrote

I have noticed a few leaves being almost totally eaten - they look like a
cobweb with the majority of the leaf having been eaten.

When I looked closely I found a number of small caterpillars - about 1mm
to
2mm diameter - upto 1cm long.

Plain light green - with a yellowish light line down the body just above
legs.


I have grown tomatoes for years - and have never seen them before.

Any ideas please?


I have since found a bigger specimen: see photo of same


http://i58.tinypic.com/dg1lp4.jpg

There also seems like a "spider's web" being exuded by at least the smaller
ones.


It's, would you believe, the Tomato Moth (Lacanobia oleracea). :-)


Many thanks Bob - now why did I just not guess that !!



I have now collected three of them and I am "cultivating" in a jar with tomato
leaves in. One of them has already descended in to the earth which I have put
in the bottom of the pot in order to change in to moth.