This little beetle killed my squash vine

[saltmarsh]

One of my squash vines wilted and died today. Early prolific straight neck. The squash vine started showing signs of wilt at about 10:30 this morning and was dead and shriveled by 6 PM.

I thought I'd find a Squash borer inside the vine, but that wasn't the case.

Two of these little beetles had eaten into the vine just below the soil line. they had only eaten into the outside of the stem, but where they had eaten was rotted. They must be a vector for a disease.

Any idea what they are?

[Ivy123]

well that blows... So sorry about the demise of your squash and with rocket speed no less..eesh

[PA_Julia]

That is a Squash Vine Borer and they are nasty!!

I always have to watch out for them concerning my giant pumpkin plants.

The solution is using insecticidal soap.

Once the season is underway, carefully inspect each vine once a week; don’t wait for wilting. If you see a hole near the soil line and a greenish mass, that is bug poop that the borers push back out of the vine opening they made. Slit the vine with a razor blade and find the caterpillar inside.

It will be probably too late for the vine that you found the borer in but you just might save the rest of the plant if it wasn't the main vine and also by removing the infected vine/plant you'll be saving other squash type plants from the same fate if you have them.


Julia

[saltmarsh]

Julia, I pulled the plant and examined it throughly and it didn't have a SVB worm in it. The roots were still healthy and vigorus. The wilting started just below the soil line where these beatles had eaten the outer layer and made a home. They had not ringed the vine. Probably 75- 80 percent of the outer skin of the plant was intact where the beatles were.

This is the only squash showing any signs of wilt. It was in the middle of a 90' row with hills 3' apart and 2 plants per hill. It's partner in the hill is healthy and unaffected. The squash vines are about 1 week from first bloom.

I've been growing squash for years and haven't come across this problem before.

The only thing different this year is I'm not using any poison (Seven). Instead I've been spraying weekly with a lacto-inoculant/horsetail tea/garlic and hot pepper tea/ insecticidal soap spray. And until this plant died, I've been quite happy with the results. The same spray has been used on okra, tomatoes, peppers, canteloupes, watermellons, onions, eggplant, and squash. If it didn't have the soap in it you could drink it. Claud

[PA_Julia]

OK you got me there.

I will attempt to research on my end for you.