How To Get Rid Of Bugs On Tomato Plants

Last Updated: May 22, 2025

If you didn’t guess, I love growing tomatoes. But, their fragrant foliage and juicy fruits makes them a magnet for pests. If left unchecked, these bugs can cause damage, potentially reducing your harvest. In this article, I’ll share how to get rid of bugs on tomato plants (when it is necessary) using simple, effective methods.

Common Tomato Pests

Tomatoes face challenges from a wide variety of pests that can wreak havoc on their health. Here are some of the most common tomato plant pests to look out for:

1. Aphids: These sap-sucking insects, such as green peach aphids and potato aphids, weaken the plant by draining its sap. Aphid problems often start on the undersides of the leaves, causing yellow spots and curled tomato foliage. A severe aphid infestation may also lead to the spread of wilt virus.
2. Tomato Hornworms: These large green caterpillars can quickly devour tomato plant leaves, often stripping plants in a matter of days. They’re easy to miss, so look for chewed foliage and dark droppings on the leaves and soil surface.
3. Stink Bugs: These pests pierce tomato fruits and lay eggs, causing yellow spots and deformities in the fruit. Their feeding can introduce viruses or other diseases into the plant tissue.
4. Spider Mites: Tiny arachnids that multiply quickly, leading to an infestation. These pests are hard to see with the naked eye but leave webbing and yellow speckling on leaves.
5. Flea Beetles: These tiny pests chew small holes in the leaves of plants, particularly young seedlings in spring when they are most active.
6. Tomato Fruitworm: This pest bores into the fruit itself, making it unappetizing and causing significant crop loss.

Your best bet is to identify these pests early by inspecting regularly. Early detection allows you to act before you have a major problem on your hands.

1. Planting Companion Plants

Planting companion plants around your tomatoes is one of the most effective organic garden strategies to reduce unwanted bugs. Companion planting works primarily by attracting the natural enemies of pests. Here are a few good examples to try:

• Alyssum: Known to attract hoverflies and parasitic wasps, these small flowers are easy to grow around your tomatoes and other vegetables. I always make sure to plant some in the early spring, and they’ll usually flower all season long.
• Garlic and Onions: These alliums emit a strong odor that keeps aphids and other pests away from your plants.
• Nasturtiums: A great trap crop for aphids and flea beetles, nasturtiums attract these pests to themselves, sparing your tomatoes.
• Marigolds: These are another trap crop for the garden that pests will find more appetizing than your tomato plants.

Companion planting invites beneficial insects like ladybugs, parasitic wasps, and other predatory insects which can keep pest populations in check.

2. Hand Removal

For certain types of insects and bugs, hand removal is the simplest and most effective solution. It’s particularly effective for larger pests like hornworms, stink bugs, and slugs.

How to Remove Pests by Hand:

• Hornworms and Stink Bugs: Check the undersides of leaves and stems for these pests. While wearing gloves, pick them off and drop them into a bucket of soapy water.
• Slugs and Snails: These pests often hide in organic matter like mulch. Collect them in the early morning or after sunset, as they are primarily nocturnal.
• Cutworms: These pests are found at the soil surface near the base of plants. They are also nocturnal, and are best hand-picked and placed into soapy water.

Daily inspections during the peak growing season are essential for catching different pests before they can become a major problem.

3. Insecticidal Sprays

For large infestations or indoor growing, insecticidal sprays may be necessary. Organic options like horticultural oils and neem oil are excellent for managing sap-sucking insects and certain other pests.

Neem Oil Spray
Neem oil is an effective option for managing aphid problems, whiteflies, and spider mites.

• How to make: Mix 1 tablespoon of neem oil, and a few drops of castile soap into 1 gallon of water. Use a spray bottle to coat the entire plant, especially the undersides of the leaves.
• Timing: Spray in the evening or on a cloudy day to prevent sunburn on tomato foliage.
• Frequency: Reapply every 7–10 days or until the pest problem is under control. Neem oil is non-selective, meaning it can kill beneficial insects, too! So only spray when absolutely necessary.

Horticultural Oils
Horticultural oils smother pests like tiny insects and their eggs. They are particularly effective against sap-sucking insects like aphids and whiteflies.

Homemade Garlic Spray
A natural option that deters stink bugs and flea beetles. Blend garlic with water, strain, and spray onto the plants. It’s stinky, but can be worth it to have a healthier garden.

4. Introducing Beneficial Insects

Biological control is one of the most sustainable ways to manage garden pests. Beneficial insects act as natural enemies to common tomato plant pests.

• Ladybugs: Ladybugs are voracious eaters of aphids, especially when they are in their larva stage. In fact, if I notice aphids on my tomatoes, I know that ladybugs will be there to help soon. The best way to attract them is with an aphid infestation, so make sure you know what a ladybug larva looks like (they’re your friend)!
• Lacewings: Their larvae consume a wide variety of pests, including tiny pests like aphids and whiteflies.
• Parasitic Wasps: These wasps attack hornworms and other pests by laying their eggs on them.
• Predatory Mites: These tiny arachnids feed on spider mites and help reduce infestations.

Planting flowers like alyssum, dill, and cosmos near your tomatoes can attract these beneficial insects. Again, try to avoid broad-spectrum pesticides, as they can kill helpful insects, only making your pest problem worse.

Natural Products and Preventative Measures

If you are still struggling to find the right way to get rid of bugs on your tomatoes, you can try some of these other options:

1. Diatomaceous Earth: This natural powder is effective against soft-bodied pests like slugs and caterpillars. Sprinkle it around the soil surface and on plant leaves to deter pests. The main drawback of DE is that it is not effective after rainfall or watering.
2. Sticky Traps: Use yellow sticky traps to catch flying pests like whiteflies, thrips, and fungus gnats. These won’t completely stop an infestation, but are helpful for identifying pests, especially indoors.
3. Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt): This biological control targets caterpillars. Spray it onto affected areas as directed.
4. Mulching and Soil Care: Mulching with organic matter can discourage pests from laying eggs in the soil. For added security, regularly rotate crops to avoid overwintering pests from the previous year.

Disease Prevention

In certain areas, diseases can be a bigger problem than pests. Some pests also transmit viruses or other infections into your garden plants. Use these tips to reduce the risk:

• Watering: Always water at the base of the plant using a garden hose to avoid splashing soil onto tomato leaves. Water also makes it easier for existing pathogens to spread via spore.
• Prune Indeterminate Tomatoes: Pruning tomatoes helps to improve airflow, reducing the chance of fungal infections. Make sure to prune off unhealthy foliage as well, and always do this on a dry day.
• Healthy Soil: Add compost and/or organic matter to keep soil fertile and discourage pests that thrive in poor conditions.

Conclusion

I remember how worried I was when I had my first pest problem. But with the right strategies, you can keep your garden thriving throughout the growing season. I hope this article helped you learn how to identify and treat pests that target tomatoes.

With these great ways to protect your tomato plants, you’ll enjoy a bountiful harvest free from pesky invaders. Happy gardening!