From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Montgomery, IL

Was looking at one of the plants today and started to touch a soft spot on the main and a 1" white maggot on roids came out. I found three others all have a little black head or spot on the end.I cleaned out the area with a knife and put captin on..WHAT IS THIS THING and what can i do to kill them all,if there are more??? I did spray sevin right after i was done..

8/12/2010 3:04:22 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

Sounds like the squash vine borer. There are probably more. You need to prevent with an insecticide. The adults lay eggs on the leaves and the larvae crawl down and bores into the vine. They then move through the vine for weeks fattening up, but preventing essential nutrient and fluid movement eventually killing the plant.

Did you see a hole with a frass or sawdust looking material. That is where they enter and the frass is their poop from what I understand.

8/12/2010 4:01:31 PM

Montgomery, IL

I did find what looks Like a hole and scraped out all the soft mushy stuff and put captin in the hole,then sprayed the whole area with sevin..good/bad. Should i spray sevin into the hole.I also have eagle 20 and daconil,what would be my best way to get rid of them.I have almost a 300lb er on this plant and don't wan't to loose it...THANKS BOB !!!!

8/12/2010 4:10:56 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

All you can really do is prevent more form getting in. I lost a whole patch of Jackos last year. You can surgically remove them, but it's hard to know where they are and you don't want to cut up the whole vine. Get some insectide on the vines so more that hatch don't bore in. They take some time to move through so hopefully your fruit has a couple weeks.

Are leaves starting to brown and collapse systematically moving down or up the plant?

I came home at lunch today and found some adults laying eggs. Here in the midwest they go till mid to late August so keep up prevention. My vine has sevin dust over it. Next year I am going with Merrit. Sevin is not very eco friendly from what I have read.

8/12/2010 5:09:35 PM

Western PA

Rotating between a systemic pesticide like bayer tree and shrub and a contact like sevin is the best way. Systemics get absorbed into the plant and protect it for a few weeks. You should do a soil drench and spray EVERYTHING (top, bottom of leaves and stems and vines) with the systemic that you get. Actually, I believe that all pestcides, contact and systemics should be sprayed that way.You can do several soil drenches throughout the season.(read the label).
Next season start to spray by mid June and keep track on a calander.That should kill them when they initially start to try to chew into your plants.

I would definately spray up in the hole if you can, in case more are in there.
The Eagle and daconil are a fungicides and won't do anything to bugs.

I would search your vines really good to see if you find any more evidence. If you find some more try to dig them out with a needle. It should not hurt to much if you have to split your vine lengthwise a little to get to them.
Good luck

8/12/2010 5:12:14 PM

Colorado Springs, Co (wtmanc3mc3@hotmail.com)

rybec, either order up merit or use bayer tree and shrub, systemic that you soil drench at roots of your plant, it will suck up the poison and any svb's that get to munching on your plant will die quickly. Seven is NOT going to work for ya.

8/12/2010 5:12:52 PM

Montgomery, IL

Thanks for the GREAT info,i ran out and bought Bayer tree and shrub and did a drench and spray at about 6pm.I sprayed down into the holes they made and all along the vine and leaves..Will this last a few weeks or should i hit it again next week? THANKS AGAIN BOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8/12/2010 9:03:59 PM

Montgomery, IL

hey luke,i saw the pic of the svb on your diary and thats the %$$$#^$$^% that was in my vine.Hope i found them in time

8/13/2010 2:17:13 PM