Vine borers?

HiPoha · September 3, 2012

It has been four months since I started my garden. Organic being the way I wanted to go, and now the bugs have found my plants. My squash and cucumbers have 1/16 inch holes on them and within them are white worms about 3/8 inch long. The nearest thing that describes them are vine borers.
I was wondering if putting plastic or light cloth mesh bags around the developing fruits will keep them from being infested. Has anybody tried this?
Otherwise, I'd have to go and use sevin on the plants, something I am reluctant to use.

ScottinAtlanta · September 3, 2012

There are several threads about this topic - did you search for SVB?

HiPoha · September 3, 2012

I tried searching this site for squash vine borers, and it seems no one has posted a photo of them. I think I may have pickleworms instead and not svb. Some cucumbers have been hollowed out lenghtwise by these worms. They started appearing only in the past three days and already ruined several of my cukes and squashes. The moths that lays these worms are not seen during the day.

b54red · September 3, 2012

Sevin will get rid of them with usually no more than two sprayings during a season. Whatever lays the eggs usually is only active for about a month each year down here; but rainy weather can make it difficult to keep them under control. We have them infest our cucumbers, squash and melons every year. If you spray them quickly you can minimize the damage but it will do nothing for the ones they have already bored into. More than likely it is just some type of pickle worm.

saltmarsh · September 3, 2012

b54red is right about it being pickleworms. I'd suggest interplanting summer squash with your cucumbers or planting a row of summer squash such as early prolific next to your cucumbers next time. The summer squash will act as a trap crop for the pickleworms and should still make enough squash for your use. Be sure to destroy the worms in the squash to reduce the population in future crops. If you have pigs or know someone who does the wormy squash can be fed to them. Same applies to vines at the end of season. Claud

HiPoha · September 3, 2012

Thanks b54. Yes, you are right about them being pickleworms. Looks like I'll have to spray sevin on my plants. Also to kill the moths that flys in, I 'll be getting a bug zapper to hang in the garden.

And yes, SaltMarsh, I do have summer squash planted near my cucumbers. They are the round zucchini type which I am fond of eating. The pickleworms have gotten into them too.

tjg911 · September 3, 2012

i never had pickleworms (not sure they are up this way) but BT may kill them as it kills any caterpillar. that picture is not a svb. if you google squash vine borer you'll get a ton of info and if you click on images you can see them and the moth. bt would kill the svb grub.

tom

HiPoha · September 3, 2012

Thanks TJG, I confirmed the bugs as pickleworms. These worms don't seem to like cold weather. One squash was in the refridgerator at 55 deg. and when I cut it open, the worms were immobilized, the ones in the photo on the original post above. I bought some sevin today and hope I can stop further damage to my plants. I'll keep the BT in mind if sevin doesn't work.

HiPoha · September 20, 2012

It's been two weeks since I had the pickleworm problem. I caught the problem in time and after spraying the plants with sevin, the pickleworms have stopped getting into my cucumbers and squash. I have replanted with more cucumber and squash plants which are growing fairly fast.

HiPoha · October 14, 2012

They are back again. Just found another squash with pickleworm holes in them today. Looks like they are in some vine stems too. Time to spray again.
I was wondering if a bug zapper will help control these pickleworm moths. I bought a zapper and it worked for only one night before it stopped working. I couldn't return it because I had cut the outer protective grid larger to let the moths into the high voltage screen. I hate to waste more money on something that may not work. There weren't any moths around during the one night the zapper did work.

September 3, 2012	#6
HiPoha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Hawaii Posts: 130	Thanks b54. Yes, you are right about them being pickleworms. Looks like I'll have to spray sevin on my plants. Also to kill the moths that flys in, I 'll be getting a bug zapper to hang in the garden. And yes, SaltMarsh, I do have summer squash planted near my cucumbers. They are the round zucchini type which I am fond of eating. The pickleworms have gotten into them too. Last edited by HiPoha; September 3, 2012 at 01:57 PM. Reason: added info

September 3, 2012	#7
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	i never had pickleworms (not sure they are up this way) but BT may kill them as it kills any caterpillar. that picture is not a svb. if you google squash vine borer you'll get a ton of info and if you click on images you can see them and the moth. bt would kill the svb grub. tom __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

September 3, 2012	#2
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	There are several threads about this topic - did you search for SVB?

September 3, 2012	#4
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Sevin will get rid of them with usually no more than two sprayings during a season. Whatever lays the eggs usually is only active for about a month each year down here; but rainy weather can make it difficult to keep them under control. We have them infest our cucumbers, squash and melons every year. If you spray them quickly you can minimize the damage but it will do nothing for the ones they have already bored into. More than likely it is just some type of pickle worm.

September 3, 2012	#5
saltmarsh Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 2 miles south of Yoknapatawpha Zone 7b Posts: 662	b54red is right about it being pickleworms. I'd suggest interplanting summer squash with your cucumbers or planting a row of summer squash such as early prolific next to your cucumbers next time. The summer squash will act as a trap crop for the pickleworms and should still make enough squash for your use. Be sure to destroy the worms in the squash to reduce the population in future crops. If you have pigs or know someone who does the wormy squash can be fed to them. Same applies to vines at the end of season. Claud

September 20, 2012	#9
HiPoha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Hawaii Posts: 130	It's been two weeks since I had the pickleworm problem. I caught the problem in time and after spraying the plants with sevin, the pickleworms have stopped getting into my cucumbers and squash. I have replanted with more cucumber and squash plants which are growing fairly fast.

October 14, 2012	#10
HiPoha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Hawaii Posts: 130	They are back again. Just found another squash with pickleworm holes in them today. Looks like they are in some vine stems too. Time to spray again. I was wondering if a bug zapper will help control these pickleworm moths. I bought a zapper and it worked for only one night before it stopped working. I couldn't return it because I had cut the outer protective grid larger to let the moths into the high voltage screen. I hate to waste more money on something that may not work. There weren't any moths around during the one night the zapper did work.