If you’re thinking about growing tomatoes this year, you’re in great company. Probably one of the most commonly grown vegetables for the home gardener, tomatoes are fairly easy to grow and the fresh, vibrant flavor can’t be beat.
There are many different types of tomatoes to grow based on how you want to enjoy them. You can grow beefsteak varieties for slicing and sandwiches, saucing varieties like Romas and San Marzanos, or sweet cherry tomatoes that you pop off the vine right into your mouth!
No matter the variety of tomato plant, the pests you have to look out for are pretty much the same. Let’s take a look at 21 different pests that love tomatoes as much as we do and discover how to keep them away from our plants.
As a home gardener few things are more frustrating than walking outside to tend to your tomato plants only to find them crawling with tiny black bugs. While the large green hornworm often steals the spotlight, there are actually many types of small black insects that can infest tomato plants. Learning how to properly identify and manage these pests is key to protecting your crop and having a bountiful harvest.
Common Black Bugs on Tomato Plants
The most common black bugs found on tomato plants include
Aphids
These soft-bodied insects come in many colors but are often black. They cluster on the undersides of leaves and stems, sucking out plant juices. An aphid infestation can cause twisted, yellow, and stunted growth. They also secrete a sticky substance called honeydew which leads to sooty mold. Aphids reproduce rapidly, going from a few to thousands in a short period.
Flea Beetles
Tiny black beetles that feast on tomato leaves, leaving behind small shot holes in the foliage. They can completely skeletonize leaves and may spread diseases. The most common species are the potato flea beetle, eggplant flea beetle, and palestriped flea beetle.
Thrips
Slender insects with fringed wings that rasp and feed on leaves and flowers. This causes leaves to turn bronze or silver with dark fecal spots. Thrips may also spread tomato spotted wilt virus. Common thrips are onion thrips and western flower thrips.
Leaf-Footed Bugs
Various true bug species with flattened expanding hind legs. They use needle-like mouthparts to suck nutrients from tomatoes, leading to wilted, spotted, or aborted fruit. Immature stages are tiny black nymphs.
Leafhoppers
Wedge-shaped bugs, about 1/4 inch long, that dart quickly when disturbed. They feed on plant fluids, causing white stippling or leaf curling. Leafhoppers also transmit disease. The potato leafhopper and aster leafhopper target tomatoes.
Identifying Black Bugs on Tomato Plants
Carefully inspect plants to look for any wings, leg shapes, mouthparts, or other identifying characteristics that can help pinpoint the exact species infesting your tomatoes. If needed, capture some specimens and bring them to your local county extension office for identification confirmation.
Pay attention to the location on the plant where bugs are clustered as well as the type of damage symptoms present. This can provide clues to the culprit. For example, aphids usually gather on the undersides of leaves while flea beetles chew small holes.
Controlling Black Bugs on Tomato Plants
Once you’ve positively identified the black bugs on your tomatoes, you can take targeted steps to manage them:
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Handpick larger insects and egg masses. Drop them into a bucket of soapy water.
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Apply insecticidal soap or neem oil to kill aphids. Repeat applications are often needed.
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Use horticultural oils to smother eggs and newly hatched nymphs of many pests. Don’t over apply to avoid plant damage.
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Install row covers at planting time to form a barrier against early season invaders like flea beetles, aphids, and leafhoppers.
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Apply kaolin clay barriers to deter pests that feed with piercing-sucking mouthparts. The white powder deters feeding and egg laying.
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Use aluminum foil or reflective mulches to confuse flying pests and disrupt egg-laying behaviors. The reflected light repels them.
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Attract beneficial insects like lady beetles, lacewings, and hoverflies which feed on small pests.
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Prune away severely damaged or sooty mold covered leaves and stems.
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As a last resort, use synthetic insecticides selectively, alternating modes of action to prevent resistance.
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Remove and discard spent plants promptly after final harvest to disrupt pest lifecycles.
An integrated approach combining multiple tactics is most effective for controlling tomato pests. Start with gentler options first before resorting to harsh chemicals. Stay vigilant in scouting for bugs and be quick to respond at the first signs of an infestation. With persistence and proactive management, you can tip the scales in favor of healthy, productive tomato plants.
Frequently Asked Questions About Black Bugs on Tomato Plants
What causes tiny black bugs clustered on my tomato plant leaves?
The likely culprits are sap-feeding aphids or scale insects. Check the undersides of leaves for these soft-bodied pests. Prune off heavily infested foliage. Apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil sprays to kill them.
Why do I see tiny black beetles eating holes in my tomato leaves?
Your plants are being attacked by flea beetles. Use floating row covers at planting to exclude the beetles. Apply kaolin clay spray as a deterrent coating on plants. Pick off any beetles you spot.
What are the small black bugs crawling on my tomato stems and leaves?
Leafhoppers and leaf-footed plant bugs are probable culprits. Look for white stippling damage or curled leaves pointing to leafhoppers. Leaf-footed bugs target fruit. Install sticky traps to monitor for the pests.
How do I get rid of white fuzz on tomato leaves caused by black bugs?
The white substance is honeydew secreted by aphids and sooty mold fungus that grows on it. Knock down aphids with insecticidal soap. Improve air circulation to deter mold growth. Wipe or prune away any mold-coated leaves.
Why are my tomato leaves turning silver with black dots after seeing tiny black insects?
Your plants are likely infested with thrips. The black dots are their fecal spots. Spray plants down vigorously with water or apply insecticidal soap to dislodge thrips. Use blue sticky traps to monitor for them.
Are black bugs harmful to my tomato harvest if they are already on the plant?
Tomatoes that formed before or after the infestation should be safe to eat after washing. However, prune off and discard any portions of the fruit that show direct insect damage, just to be safe. Monitor for recurring pest problems.
Be vigilant in checking tomato plants routinely for black bugs. Identify the specific pest you’re dealing with in order to choose effective organic solutions. Combining multiple tactics will provide the best control and lead to a bountiful harvest.
Organic Pest Control Tips
Choosing to garden organically? That’s good news, because there is quite a bit you can do early in the season to help with pest control. From companion planting to encouraging helpful predatory insects, taking steps toward prevention will be far easier and more enjoyable than dealing with an infestation later.
I learned about companion planting and the importance of biodiversity from my mom. On the weekends, I helped with her small hobby farm in central Texas and it was an incredible education. My early vision of what a garden should look like – neat, sterile rows of single vegetables – was dashed as I began to see the importance and real benefits that biodiversity brings to a garden.
Every ecosystem works holistically and no element works in isolation from those around it. The more plants and animals there are in your garden, the more resilient it will be. If you choose to garden organically, this is incredibly important.
Certain plants and flowers encourage stronger growth in your tomatoes, others repel or act as a ‘trap plant’ for particular pests, and still others attract predatory insects that love to eat the pests that may plague you.
Take the time to look into companion planting for tomatoes. Plants like basil, chives, nasturtiums, and marigolds are a great place to start!
I’m not a big bug fan and I have a small fear of spiders. With that said, I LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing spiders and other predatory insects in my garden. I just wear gloves when I’m putting my hands in denser foliage! In all seriousness, the benefits of creating an environment that attracts local wildlife are immense.
Birds, spiders, ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic wasps, and lizards all want to eat the pests that plague your tomatoes, so invite them in! Grow flowers, herbs, and other vegetables that attract these species, and you’ll be much happier in your gardening experience.
Plants want to grow, and they will do their best even when they’re placed in conditions they aren’t well suited for. The problem is that a stressed plant has fewer defenses against pests and diseases. When you choose the right plants for your climate, soil type, and sun conditions, they are far more likely to thrive and shrug off serious problems.