PesthighApr–Oct

Tomato leafminer

Tuta absoluta

This description was machine-translated.

How to spot it

The tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta) is a small moth whose caterpillars feed inside the leaves and fruit of tomatoes and their relatives. Typical are pale, winding mines in the leaves, which turn brown and dry up; where the fruit is attacked, the caterpillars bore straight into the flesh. You can spot an infestation best by holding leaves up against the light: the tunnels and the small dark crumbs of frass inside them are then clearly visible. Left untreated, the pest can spread quickly across the whole plant and to neighbouring plants.

Prevention

Use robust, inspected young plants from a trustworthy source and check new plants closely for mines before setting them out. Pick off infested leaves and fruit consistently and dispose of them with the household waste, not on the compost. Pheromone traps help you detect the flight of the moths early and find the right moment for close inspections. Good ventilation through wide planting distances, insect screens on the greenhouse openings and the targeted use of beneficials such as parasitic wasps further reduce the pressure; also pay attention to crop rotation, so that the pest does not establish itself permanently in beds of nightshade crops.