When we talk about squash pests, we often think of the striped bug. But there's another sneaky pest: the squash borer . Unlike the thorn beetle, it works inside the stem , making its attack difficult to detect… until the plant dies.
How to recognize it? 🔍
- The adult insect resembles a red-orange and black moth .
- The female lays small reddish-brown eggs at the base of the stems in early summer.
- The larvae, whitish and plump, penetrate the stem and burrow into it.
Damage to the vegetable garden 🚨
- The plants suddenly seem to be wilting despite sufficient watering .
- By scraping the base of the stem, orange sawdust can be seen: a sign of larval activity.
- If you open the stem, you will often find one or more white caterpillars eating the inside.
How to prevent and control drill bits? 🌿
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Insect nets : especially useful at the beginning of the season, to block egg-laying.
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Hilling : covering the base of the stems with soil or mulch to promote secondary rooting and limit access.
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Crop rotation : do not replant squash and pumpkins in the same place every year.
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Regular monitoring : inspect the base of the stems to detect eggs and destroy them.
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Manual intervention ✂️: if a plant is affected, you can gently split the stem with a knife, remove the larva, then plug it with moist soil to allow the plant to heal.
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Choosing more resistant varieties : some varieties of winter squash or pumpkins tolerate the attack better.
In summary 🌞
The squash borer acts in the shadows, but by combining prevention (nets, rotation, mulching) and rapid intervention , it is possible to limit its damage and save a good harvest in the fall.