Squash Vine Borer

A friend asked me what happened to her Zuchinni plant. She had one that was perfectly Ok and one next to it that wilted and then died. Could it have been the Squash Vine Borer. The first symptom of a borer attack is wilting of affected plants.

Wilting may occur only in strong sun at first, but if the problem is left unchecked, the plants eventually collapse and die. When you look at a wilting plant closely, you might notice holes near the base of the plant. These holes are filled with moist greenish or orange sawdust-like material called frass. Over time, the base may become mushy or rot away altogether. Several borer larvae may attack a single plant.

Squash vine borers are challenging to prevent or manage. Once the larvae invade the stem, it is difficult to treat squash vine borers. Check your squash for the presence of adult borers starting the last week of June. There are two methods for detecting squash vine borer adults.

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