Squash borers are pests that attack your squash plants every year. I lost quite a bit of money last year from the birds getting to my squash and eating most of it before I could reach it. If you need to make sure that doesn’t happen this year, I have some tips for you. The squash vine borer is a dark brown, nearly black moth of about 1 inch in length. Adult moths are present from early summer through fall and lay eggs on the underside of the foliage. Eggs hatch in 7 to 10 days, and newly hatched larvae begin to burrow into the stems just below the soil surface.
Insecticide For Squash Borer
Adult moths are unique in that they fly during the day and mimic wasps.
Moths are about 1/2 inch long with an orange abdomen with black dots.
The first pair of wings are metallic green while the back pair of wings are clear.
The back wings are folded when they are at rest, and may not be seen clearly.
Eggs and larvae
Eggs are flat, brown, and about 1/25 inch long.
The larvae are white or cream-colored with brown heads, growing to almost an inch in length.
Black and orange squash vine borer moths are swift fliers.
Squash vine borer larvae somewhat resemble maggots. Here we can see the frass lining the hole where the larvae was removed from the base of a pumpkin plant.
Biology
There is one generation per year.
Squash vine borer adults emerge in late June or early July, from cocoons in the ground.
After emerging, squash vine borers lay eggs singly at the base of susceptible plants.
Eggs hatch in about one week and the resulting larvae bore into stems to feed.
Larvae feed through the center of the stems, blocking the flow of water to the rest of the plant.
Larvae feed for four to six weeks, then exit the stems and burrow about one to two inches into the soil to pupate.
They remain there until the following summer.
Damage caused by squash vine borers
The first symptom of squash vine borer feeding is wilting. Look out for plants that are wilted in the morning.
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. If plants are wilted in the morning, they warrant a closer look.
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.
Insecticide For Squash Borer
Squash Borer is a pest that attacks squash and pumpkins. It’s not only a nuisance, but it can also cause significant damage to your garden. Fortunately, you have options for insecticide treatments to help protect your squash from this pesky pest!
The squash borer has a brownish-gray body with reddish-orange stripes on its back. The larvae are yellow and about 1/4 inch long. They are about 1/2 inch long when fully grown. The adult moth has an orange body with black spots, brown wings with white spots, and a hairy body.
To protect yourself from squash borer damage, apply insecticide sprays every two weeks during the growing season, starting when shoots are 6 inches tall. Spray again if you see signs of damage or dead plants in your garden; this may indicate that there is already present in your garden and needs treatment as soon as possible before it can spread further!
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