Tomato/Tobacco horn worm would be my guess.

I'd guess tomato horn worm also. Well fed ones can be the size of an index finger and can do a lot of damage overnight.

Thank you! That would explain why they left the other plants alone. One more question though: isn't it too early for them? We are in Canada, roughly the Hamilton ON area. Zone 5b, maybe almost 6 where she is.

Yes seems too early for hornworms as their eggs are usually laid upon mature plants that can support them. My best guess would be birds, they sometimes try to pull young plants out of the soil to expose worms underneath, this leaves the leaf/stem debris behind, or be used for nesting material.

Agree that it is way too early for hornworms, especially in your location. And I have never seen them totally consume down to the bare stem much less leave the leaves - their preferred diet alone.

But many other varmints do. Birds will snip off entire branches after bugs, deer will do that type of damage easily and often do, and the other assorted mammalian pests like groundhogs, gophers, even rats can do that type of damage and easily get around such fencing.

Lastly there are cutworms that can climb plants when so inclined.

Dave

This is a duplicate thread to

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/4670547/who-stole-the-tomato-plants?n=8

Yes, Digdirt, at first my thread did not appear, then I tried another time, that one appeared then, but this morning there were two...

Thank you all for your suggestions. My friend will have to try heavy duty double patrol day and night to catch the vermin red mouthed, or probably green mouthed. If we find the culprits, I will let you know.

I feel like an insect wouldn't be capable of that kind of damage in such a short period of time and go unnoticed. Looks like a hit n run job. Is the property fenced in? Are deer capable of getting back there?