Thanks again, We had a disgusting explosion of large grey moths about 2 weeks ago. I literally couldn't turn a light on outside without them bouncing off my head- they covered our courtyard. Our garden has been up and growing (and expanding) a little over 2 months now and I have yet to see a hornworm. We were out there pouring over the plants every day- especially after the moth invasion- and we were unable to find one little bugger... until we found the three cutworms. Here's the funny thing: we didn't have any damage to the tomato stems (our stems are quite massive now, I don't know if that was the reason), but we cut milk cartons and gingerly stapled them around the base of our Early girls (the plants we had all the holes in) and the holes, for now, have stopped multiplying. I assume that, what ever it is lives in the soil. Today, however, I was frightened to see tiny holes riddling our Marigolds. I think my worst fears may have come to fruition- I believe we, once again, have Tobacco bud worms. Some gardeners on GW talk about TBWs like there normal little garden pests, I don't know if maybe the climate here is more conducive to the (#%&*) grey moth that spawns them or what... but I have never met a more disastrous foe in a garden. I just dosed the Marigolds, geranium buds, and borage in Safer brand BT. I hope to God this year it works. I hope to God that they are not responsible for the holes in out tomatoes... because, in my experience, they are hard to find and harder to kill. Thanks so much, again, for all of the information. I'm going to look into D. Earth... maybe it will help out with TBW should we have them again. It's the only thing I haven't tried. Darcy

Definitely sounds like rose slug. In most cases, after a couple weeks, the good bugs come along and eat 'em up, so you don't really need to do anything as drastic as use Bayer 2-in-1. Most of us either hand-squeeze them or pick them and toss them into the grass away from the rose. Seriously, the good bugs usually finish the job for the rose gardener, so the Bayer isn't needed. Besides, the Bayer 2-in-1 kills off all bugs, both the good and the bad bugs, and not just the rose slugs. (Don't use the Bayer 3-in-1 either--even worse!). Kate

Probably something like cabbage loppers but I'm not sure. I haven't seen many this year, I think they usually get me worst when the rains come though. Anyway, to control leaf eating caterpillars you want to use BT, bacillus thuringensis. Dipel Dust or Thuricide are products I know of out there for it. Last I tried, Lowes didn't have Thuricide but HD did. Ya mix it up according to the directions and spray the plants well (drawback is you don't want to be straying it during or right before the heat of the day which might leaves you spraying in the dark.) Dipel dust might be easier if you can find it but I haven't found it here in FL. Anyway, the caterpillars have to eat some of it for it to be effective. It is a bacteria specific to the guts of leaf eating caterpillars and it will give them a bad belly ach, they quit eating and eventually die. It requires re-application after rain if the caterpillar problem is still present. There are similar products that attack mosquitoes (mosquito dunks) and I believe there is the milky spore that can be used for the under ground grubs but I've never tried that.) I've used Thuricide and mosquito dunks and they are pretty safe as far as pesticides go. They do not hurt beneficial insects and they are safe enough for use in/around an aquaponics system with fish and bio-filter bacteria. Here is a link that might be useful: TCLynx

That is it!!! Thank you so much. I took the two off, but it's amazing how quickly they damaged the plant. I have my bug guy coming to spray the yard again after Isaac has left, and I'll be sure to keep a keen eye on the papaya. I was glad to read that they are almost always found on papayas, so my other 8 trees are (cross your fingers) in the clear. I have had such trouble with papaya here. This is my second try after my first one was overcome with spider mites. Thank you again for the quick response!