Are your squash plants suddenly struggling? It could be the work of a squash vine borer. Here are tips on how to identify, control, and get rid of the squash vine borer!
What Are Squash Vine Borers?
It can be so disappointing when your squash is thriving and suddenly starts to wilt. This may be the result of a squash vine borer (SVB), which is a type of moth that lays its eggs at the base of squash plants. When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow (or “bore”) into the lower stems, weakening or killing the plant outright.
Found throughout the eastern United States, squash vine borers typically attack squash, zucchini, pumpkins, and various types of gourds. They prefer Hubbard squash and are not as fond of butternut squash. Other cucurbits, like cucumbers and melons, are not usually targeted.
The borers overwinter in soil as pupae in cocoons. When the adult moths emerge in early to mid-summer, they lay eggs singly or in small groups at the base of plant stems. The eggs will hatch within 1 to 2 weeks of being laid. The larvae will then bore into stems to feed for about 2 to 4 weeks; sometimes they may also bore into the fruit. In northern areas of North America, there is usually only one generation per year; in southern areas, there may be 2 generations.
If caught early, it’s possible to save the plant. If caught after the eggs hatch, it may be too late. Controlling the squash vine borer is mainly about prevention.
Reader Comments
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Using BT for borers
What does the squash borer larva look like after it ingests the BT? Two plants got totally destroyed by them and I dug out dozens of worms that were nearly an inch long. I've been applying BT all the time now and picking off whatever eggs I can find (100s of eggs and I've seen atleast 5 adults flying around and killed a few). Anyways, lately I've been finding some sticky almost clear gel in places at the base of some of the plants. I've scraped it off with a knife. I'm wondering if this weird gel could be the dying larva and a sign the BT is working?? Or could it be some disease or something? The plants also have powdery mildew.
borers
I bought bagged dirt from the local plant nursery, free composted sludge from the local water treatment plant. Put the seeds in containers and still got borers...where did they come from?
found this on amazon
Tikola Fine Mesh Garden Netting, 8'x33' Bird Netting for Garden Plant Netting for Bugs, Garden Covers for Vegetables Plants Fruits Flowers
Suggestion to prevent squash vine borers
I suggest to plant 1 or 2 radish plants about 2 inches by the base of the squash. Radish plant naturally repels the moths along with other common pests such as aphids and others. Just don't harvest these radish and collect the radish seeds for next season.
Squash vine borers
Last year I tried an experiment with DE and its effects on the larvae. It had zero effect, unfortunately. Those things are too tough skinned for DE to work. But, if spinosad is sprayed into the holes where they are, it kills them within seconds. Also, the moths here in Nw Florida are bright orange like the color of a safety vest. Thanks for this article.
Most times I let the beneficial insects get the worms, wasps of all types in my garden are welcome. Every day they patrol my tomato plants and grab the tender little caterpillars feasting on my tomato leaves. But, I don’t have space for a lot of squash plants bush or vines, so I have to be a bit more aggressive with the SVB’s.
Hopefully this information will encourage others to let wasps live around their garden as long as they’re not hurting anyone. They’re absolutely one of the best beneficial bugs in the garden.
squash borer resolve
We gave up growing zucchini because of this pest. Then it was suggested to plant your seeds later. We have not had a problem for 2 years in a row since we have done this. For us in Baltimore City we plant on June 21. Plants grow really fast when planted this late and the ten foot bed full of zucchini have been borer free.
Bugs
Can you use fine mosquito nets over the wooden planters?
all iris in perennial garden are infested w/ similar borer!
Hi, thanks for reading this! Help, please! Imagine my surprise seeing this critter, squash-borer, when searching for the whitish, small grub-like/maggot-like bug that has about destroyed the bulb/roots of all types/sizes of our iris. First time I have ever seen this happen. Could it be the same critter? I do not use pesticides, FYI, we build and make use of ingredients in the mix we create using equal parts of organic topsoil, mushroom compost, composted black Kow/or other cow manure, and peat moss. It’s always a success, and is as organic as I can establish. Part of the reason is because for 3 years now, I have devoted our former-horse farm’s pastures to an organic pollinators’ paradise, after observing how well the Monarch Butterflies’ native Common Milkweed was growing wild here each year; we now allow it grow as need-be before mowing it down after the MB migration in October. I have been wild-rearing them from eggs, a few dozen at a time, May-October, to contribute to their welfare, since as we know they are almost extinct, and our farm’s location, and all of N. C., is part of the great annual fall migration to Mexico. Thanks again, will keep reading into your files for another answer but they look just like them. Best regards, stay safe, from the Piedmont, of N. C.
Iris Borer
Hi Debbie,
It sounds like you are dealing with a similar insect pest, the iris borer. They are a common iris pest and their life cycle is much like the squash vine borer: an adult moth lays eggs on or nearby iris foliage, then these eggs eventually hatch and the larvae tunnel down through the leaves to feed on the iris rhizomes. The eggs are laid in late summer and overwinter until late spring, when they hatch. Therefore, late spring and early summer are the times to look out for these pests and to take action against them.
One thing you can do is to always clean up around your iris bed in the fall. Remove any dying plants, dead leaves, or other debris that borer eggs could overwinter on. This won’t prevent borer issues outright, but will help. In the late spring, look for signs of tiny, ¼-inch larvae boring through the iris leaves. If you spot them, you can easily squish them with your fingers. Additionally, look into organic products that contain parasitic nematodes (Heterohabditis, Steinernema), which will infect and kill the larvae but won’t be bad for beneficial bugs.
Squash Vine Borers
I planted my squash in virgin soil this year. It is only my second year dealing with these pests since This is my second year in NC being from the northwest. I have found that once I’ve removed the infected plants and disposed of, (burned, etc.) that after planting new seeds any seedlings that did emerge were weak and very unhealthy. One had a seed pod attached to its leaves and I carefully squeezed slightly to help it remove the pod and a larvae dropped out from the pod. And yes the plant died before the leaves could open. I have had the cocoons from the moths emerging from the soil early morning. I truly believe that once they kill off the host plant the move into the soil and kill any available seeds or seedlings. I want to know how to kill these pests once they have gotten into the soil. I know the Tomato Horned worm can overwinter in the soil and create problems for the following growing season. So there must be a way to kill these pests without removing and replacing soil. As others have stated I planted in soil that never had anything planted in. But I’m finding these pests are destroying my seeds before they can emerge from the soil. And I’m finding their cocoons coming out of the soil even when all plants have been removed and destroyed.
stem borers
I have always had problems with borers. I plan to try some other tricks this summer. However, I have recently grown large quantities of butternut squash, and harvested many of them green and early. You can eat them just like zucchini. They are a little tastier and a little less watery.
Squash borers
Do you leave the wire and string in the squash plant to get rid of the larvae or u take it out once you have run it down the stem?
Squash Vine borers
Seminole pumpkin are resistant.
SVB
Also, With Yellow Crookneck Squash if you can keep it alive long enough it will off-shoot another plant. Mound soil on the “vine” where it will root. If the first plant is killed the 2nd one can still live or 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc. One year I had a plant with 6.
Squash Vine Borer Defense
The best defense I have found is to mound soil up the main stems as the plant grows. Renew mound after a hard rain.
Squash Vine Borer Defense
The best defense I have found is to mound soil up the main stems as the plant grows. Renew mound after a hard rain.
Row covers!!!
We have both yellow squash and zucchini for the first time in years. In the past, both were attacked by squash bugs and then finished off with vine borers. This year, new locations were selected and an inexpensive bolt of tulle was purchased to create 'row covers'. The 54" width was not enough, so edges were stapled together around some string and left over stakes provided support. Then, duck tape was used to remove some early squash bug eggs. Hand pollination is required, but we finally have enough for ourselves and enough to share. I felt strangely happy when I found eggs deposited on the outside of the tulle! The bugs gave it a good try!
So frustrating
Every summer since I moved to Western Massachusetts, which has been the past 6, my squash plants have been destroyed by these pests. I got one zucchini out of 6 plants a couple of weeks ago, and not one since. The plants still look healthy and blossoming, but aren’t producing; and have the tell tale “frass” on the stems where the vine borers have entered the vine. I’m wondering if I should replace the soil in my garden? Or, should I make container garden beds? It’s so disappointing to watch all of your hard work and money and time get destroyed by these little jerks!
Adults still active in late July
Zone 7/ OKC. I am still finding adult moths on my plants as of tonight (July 24th 2019) I was under the impression that the life cycle was limited to early summer but I lost all of my summer squashes planted in April/May and 3/4 of my cantaloupes planted in early July are already infested. I'm going to try the yellow traps next.
Yellow water traps don't discriminate
I also am experiencing the borer moths in Late July, in Northeast Massachusetts. I tried the yellow water, but only found five dead bees. So I won't be doing that again as they are definitely not my target
Vine Borers
Don't give up! Slice open the base of the stem and pull those little jerks out! Place them in a mason jar of water with some dish detergent, they will die. Then press the two side of the stem back together and bury it with soil. Your plant will feel better and start producing within days!
Spray bottle with dishwashing liquid
I reused an empty Bonide blossom hormone spray bottle (the large one) for use as an emergency bug killer. The spray nozzle has 2 settings; wide and narrow spray. Any spray bottle with an adjustable spray nozzle would probably work but it helps if you find one that moves a bunch of liquid with one squeeze...like a powerful squirt gun.
Using 1 tsp of Dawn dish detertent into a quart of water, I filled the spray bottle and keep it hanging in a spot that enables me to grab it while I keep my eye on the borer moth. Like how you would mount a fire extinguisher...easy to grab and right where it's needed.
Using the narrow spray pattern, blast the moth as soon as it settles on the plant. I get them about half of the time. Using a strong surfactant like Dawn can burn the plant, so don't go nuts and spray the whole plant. Rinse the soap off of leaves if you can.
Update: Killed another borer
Update: Killed another borer moth today.
The circumstances went against everything I've read about finding squash vine borer moths.
It wasn't early morning or evening when I found the moth...it was early afternoon, mid-80s, humid and sunny.
It appeared to be oblivious or indifferent to my nearby movement so I was able to take careful aim and kill it with one blast and another as it lay in the dirt.
The eggs weren't so much near the soil line and on the main stem, but they were everywhere...tops and bottoms of leaves, leaf stems, adjacent blades of grass...very random, except that the eggs were indeed laid individually.
Shape of moth at rest.
P.S.:
The shape of the moth at rest was like this:
Its wings were tight against its body, giving it a stout, oval shape.
It was about 3/4" long and maybe a little more than 1/4" wide.
The black/orange colors made it easy to spot.
Good luck!
Thank you
Thank you for sharing your experiences to help the OFA community. Sincerely, your OFA editors
squash bores
I put tinfoil around the base of the plant, supposedly the reflection confuses the bore of entrance. Don't know where I read this years ago, but it seems to work!
Vine Borers
Here's something I tried last year that seemed to work well, so I'm doing it again this year. I am using glass head pins, the ones with the ball at the top of the pin. I put the pin in the crook of the stem going down in the stem, sometimes it will go through, but mostly I try to get it in to the stem. I put 2 or 3 in each plant. This way, if the vine borer has/does invade the base of the squash it won't really be able to grow due to the pin.
Now, if I can figure out how to get rid of the squash bugs, I'd be happy, and have squash!
Squash vine borers
I’ve also had the displeasure of the destructive vine borers in Huntsville, Alabama. I did move my plant location last year and had great results from diatomaceous earth. I stayed on top of sprinkling the powder on the squash plants after it rained. It definitely helped a lot. I’ve used it this year too, but we’ve had a lot of rain the last several days so the diatomaceous earth was washed off. I was working in my garden today and spotted one of the evil little moths! I’ll be checking my plants better tomorrow.
SVB...Preventative Maintenance
So I’ve been on the lookout for these guys.
My Dad told me about them and his plight with the wilt they cause. While out in our garden, I spotted the little jerk, and sprayed it with wasp spray. After that I inspected all of my squash plants and removed around 40 reddish brown eggs. So I promptly put them in a bleach solution. I know there will be more. But I’m ready. This is my first year growing squash by the way. And sadly enough I’m doing it without my dad. He passed away 3 weeks ago today, before we could plant the garden. But it’s okay. His memory and guidance carries on. Good luck everybody.
Borers
So sorry about your dad. Wish I heard of borers, but I see they have ruined my zucchini. This was my first attempt growing it. Well next time I will be on the lookout.
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