So, I come home today and two of my five Celebrity Tomato plants, both on the same side, have had 2-3 branches bitten/cut off of both of them. Branches were laying in raised bed adjacent to the plants, so not eaten, at least completely. Plants are18" high and 16" wide for reference.

Figured its a bug, but not ruling animals out either. Looked in shed and no fresh Sevin. Found some that had been mixed from concentrate from last year still in sprayer, but did not want to apply in fear of damaging plants with old chemicals.

Did not see any bugs on plants, even upturning branches to look underneath.

So, what say ye' OB?

TIA

Could be anything but probably cutworms.

I'd dust them with sevin. I dust mine at planting because I've had the same issue in the past. Even if it's grasshoppers or something else Sevin should get you set up until they get bigger.

Dust?

I used to use that back in the day, but went to spray. Do you feel the dust is better? IIRC, I went to spray b/c dust was not available at the time (at least locally)?

Thanks for response, and please respond on the dust preference. I found it at Lowes and need to know as plan to pick it up tomorrow if better than spray.

The current dust is no longer carbaryl. Personally, the current sevin dust seems to work as well or better than the old for me but either is going to get the job done. Home Depot or Lowe's will both carry it, I buy 3lb containers. It's a little cheaper and lasts a long time but harder to apply since the container is larger IMHO.

Yes, I prefer dust at this stage in the game because it sticks and pests have to crawl through it or on it to get to the plant. I feel it works best when your plants are young. As they get older, and the stalks get tougher you won't have these issues and dust is really not so economical anymore and I switch to whatever your favorite spray is.

This is my opinion and It is not a scientific study, just my observances. I use dust on almost anything that's young or just sprouted because things will chop the damn plants off if I don't. I dust the plant and a little around the base, like a tiny zeta cypermethrin moat they have to crawl through. Cutworms come out at night from the soil so that's why I like a dusting of it around the plant.

https://citybugs.tamu.edu/2018/02/14/sevin-not-sevin/

https://texasinsects.tamu.edu/cutworm/