Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What's wrong with my plant? > Vegetable > Tomato > Holes in fruit
Tomato > Fruit > Holes in fruit
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Tomato Hornworms
- Damage occurs July through September
- Chews holes in tomato fruit
- Chews leaves, can completely defoliate plants
- Caterpillar grows up to 4 inches long
- Caterpillar is green with white marking and a conspicuous 'tail' on the tip of the abdomen
- More on tomato hornworms
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Slugs
- Active spring and summer
- Can chew holes in tomato fruits
- Chews irregular holes in leaves; can completely defoliate plants
- Feeds during night and typically not seen during day
- 1/4 to 2 inches long
- Soft-bodied and typically brown or gray
- More information on Slugs
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Picnic Beetles
- Found on tomatoes July through September
- Associated with overripe, rotting or damaged tomatoes
- 1/4 inch long
- Black with orange spots
- More on picnic beetles
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Corn Earworm
also called tomato fruitworm
- Damage occurs during August and September
- Chews holes in tomato fruits
- Caterpillars grow up to 2 inches long
- Color may vary from brown to yellow, green, or black with 3 or 4 black strips on the sides of the body
- More information on corn earworm
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Cutworms
- Damage occurs during spring and summer
- Stem chewed within 1 inch of base of plant (occurs during spring)
- Can chew holes in leaves (spring and early summer)
- Can chew holes in tomato fruit (summer)
- Cutworms are grayish or brownish and up to 2 inches long; typically found during day hiding in soil
- More on cutworms
