Squash Vine Borer

Description: White larva with brown head, up to 1" long. Preferred foods: pumpkin, squash, cantaloupe, cucumber and gourd vines. A small pile of "sawdust" where the vine meets the soil is a sure sign that you have squash vine borers. Once you notice the first "sawdust," it will not be long until the leaves wilt and the vine dies. Standard procedure is to slit the base of the vine with a razor blade and try to extract the borer larvae, but expect reduced vine size and productivity.

Solution: When vines start to run, dust weekly 5 or 6 times with Rotenone/Copper Combo. If borers have already entered the vine, instead of slitting the vine, use a garden syringe to inject Grub-Away Nematodes at 4" intervals over the first 3 ft. of vine, 5,000 nematodes per injection. Adult moths lay eggs from late June to early August; covering with a Super-Light Insect Barrier during this time will significantly reduce borer damage. (Pull back cover to allow for pollination.)