Hey Guys, I know I probably posted this last season but....here we go. How in the world do you stop squash vine borers? I had 26 of 26 plants affected by these little turds. I've heard of row covers and the like, honestly I would like to spend as little money as possible, if possible. Any advice would be appreciated.
Oh, and how would you stop the eggs from hatching. Would -30 degree's kill those eggs, because that is how cold its been. I'm willing to do anything to stop these things from destroying my plants.
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BrianSkilton
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rainbowgardener
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BrianSkilton
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Thanks Rainbowgardener, I will search the forums, should have done that before I posted. I heard about the tin foil/aluminum around the stems, but after they feed on the stems, don't they burrow deep underground and hatch eggs. In other words, couldn't they get back into the plants if their eggs hatch, not matter if you had tin foil around the stems? Hmmm, I even tried injecting Garden's Alive Nematodes, which are suppose to kill these pests. I think the nematodes were all dead when I got them last year...they took to long to send them to me. Anyway, I will look into it more.
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rainbowgardener
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Life Cycle and Characteristics: Squash Vine Borer
Squash vine borers overwinter as larvae or pupae in the soil. Adult moths emerge in the spring and deposit eggs on a host plant. Disk-shaped, dark-reddish-brown eggs are laid singly on the plant near the base. After hatching, the larvae penetrate the plant stem and burrow toward the base. An individual adult can lay from 150 to 250 eggs, and (theoretically at least) as few as 10 moths can cause 100 percent infestation on a single acre of squash-family plants. Occasionally, small borers may also enter leaf stems. The burrowing larvae destroy the internal vascular tissue and cause the whole plant or the invaded runner to wilt and die. Feeding may continue for four to six weeks. A sticky gob of excrement (frass)â€â€which resembles wet sawdustâ€â€typically marks the entrance site. If a vine dies before the borer has completed its larval cycle, the larva can migrate to a neighboring plant and resume feeding there.
The squash vine borer larvae are whitish, wrinkled, brown-headed worms that can grow to about 1 inch in length. The adult moth, a member of the clear-winged moth family, has translucent wings (wing expanse of about 1.5 inches) with metallic green-black and orange colors on the body and wing fringes. The moth is a day flier, often mistaken for a wasp.
Generally, only one generation per year is produced in northern states, two generations in many southern states.
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/squash_pest.html#squashvineborer
So only the larvae damage the plants and they only get into it through the stem.
The same article talks about organic controls for the borers, including row cover to keep them away from the plants.
Squash vine borers overwinter as larvae or pupae in the soil. Adult moths emerge in the spring and deposit eggs on a host plant. Disk-shaped, dark-reddish-brown eggs are laid singly on the plant near the base. After hatching, the larvae penetrate the plant stem and burrow toward the base. An individual adult can lay from 150 to 250 eggs, and (theoretically at least) as few as 10 moths can cause 100 percent infestation on a single acre of squash-family plants. Occasionally, small borers may also enter leaf stems. The burrowing larvae destroy the internal vascular tissue and cause the whole plant or the invaded runner to wilt and die. Feeding may continue for four to six weeks. A sticky gob of excrement (frass)â€â€which resembles wet sawdustâ€â€typically marks the entrance site. If a vine dies before the borer has completed its larval cycle, the larva can migrate to a neighboring plant and resume feeding there.
The squash vine borer larvae are whitish, wrinkled, brown-headed worms that can grow to about 1 inch in length. The adult moth, a member of the clear-winged moth family, has translucent wings (wing expanse of about 1.5 inches) with metallic green-black and orange colors on the body and wing fringes. The moth is a day flier, often mistaken for a wasp.
Generally, only one generation per year is produced in northern states, two generations in many southern states.
https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/squash_pest.html#squashvineborer
So only the larvae damage the plants and they only get into it through the stem.
The same article talks about organic controls for the borers, including row cover to keep them away from the plants.
Floating row covers will increase your odds. If you take care of them they will last a few years. Don't pierce them, just pull back the mulch and bury the edges.
Last year, the only Winter squashes in the neighborhood were mine. It wasn't borers, it was a simultaneous attack of squash beetle, squash bug, and striped cucumber beetle. The squashes I started indoors just squeaked out a crop. Time from infestation to death was 2 weeks.
Nothing is guaranteed with squashes.
Last year, the only Winter squashes in the neighborhood were mine. It wasn't borers, it was a simultaneous attack of squash beetle, squash bug, and striped cucumber beetle. The squashes I started indoors just squeaked out a crop. Time from infestation to death was 2 weeks.
Nothing is guaranteed with squashes.