What is eating my tomatoes?

If your tomatoes have large bites out of them or are half eaten, it will be rats or possums.

If they have round holes that contain a calloused concave depression with solid edges, it will be the green caterpillar as seen in the photo below.

If you cut open your tomatoes and find them full of maggots, then Queensland Fruit Fly (see photo below) is the culprit. (10 have been found in lures in the community garden citrus orchard in the last 2 weeks of January but no infestation in fruit).

In all cases netting (see article in this newsletter) is effective though rats may sometimes eat through it. To avoid this, harvest tomatoes when they are just ripe and ripen them indoors.

Written by Robin Gale Baker