Pest on crop
Squash Vine Borer on winter squash
Melittia cucurbitae
Day-flying clearwing moth whose larvae bore into squash stems at the base and hollow them out, causing sudden wilting and plant death. The dominant squash killer east of the Rockies.
- Pest
- Squash Vine Borer
- Scientific name
- Melittia cucurbitae
- Crop
- Winter Squash
- Total hosts
- 3
Squash Vine Borer on winter squash
Detailed guidance for this section is being prepared. Check back soon.
Signs on winter squash
- ▸ Sudden wilting of vines, often after watering
- ▸ Sawdust-like frass at the base of stems
- ▸ Hollowed stems near the soil line, often with a visible exit hole
IPM controls
- ✓ Wrap stems with foil collars at the base before egg-laying begins
- ✓ Inject Bt directly into stems with a syringe at first sign of damage
- ✓ Time plantings to dodge first moth emergence (typically late June in the Mid-Atlantic)
- ✓ Plant Cucurbita moschata varieties (butternut, Tromboncino) which are resistant
- ✓ Bury vines along their length so they root at nodes and survive damage to the main stem
Other crops affected by squash vine borer
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