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Boyertown, PA, USA

I found a unique looking bug while weeding my one and only Pumpkin plant Saturday evening. I showed it to my kids since they are very "into bugs" and since I didn't know if it was friend or foe I killed it. That night I was looking in the Pollinating section of my How-To-Grow World Class Giant Pumkins II and after I read what I needed to, I paged through the later chapters. And what to my wondering eyes did appear . . . . a full page picture of my earlier bug discovery!!! According to the caption, it was indeed a "Squash Vine Borer Adult Moth". AHHHHHHHHHH This is only year #2 trying to grow a pumpkin, so maybe I should have known what it was but I didn't. I read that I should spray Sevin between 7-8pm so that I don't kill bees. The waiting was terrible, but I waited till 7pm to spray last night. I've been spraying Sevin once a week for the past three weeks, but only lightly, focussing on mostly the tops of the leaves. This time I went leaf by leaf, tops and bottoms, every stem and exposed vine (it took an hour). Along the way I found 1 Squash Bug and 5 Squash bug eggs patches which were removed promptly. I also found 1 small white worm with a brown head on the outside of a stem. . . . The vine borer's baby! My plant is beautiful and now I'm terrified. The book did not explain much about what to watch for. I did see that you need to surgically remove them when/ if they're found. But what do I watch for so that I can catch them ASAP if the get inside? Also we're expecting rain showers tonight and I don't know how soon I can spray Sevin again. My husband's plant looks like it got chemical burn so I'm afraid to overdo it. The book suggests every 14 days. I don't think I can wait that long do you? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

6/28/2004 1:05:51 PM

Northern Cambria, Pa.

Throw the Sevin away and get some Triazicide.
Sevin will only kill cuke beetles and your earthworms.

6/28/2004 4:25:57 PM

[email protected]

Ditto that.

Merit a week ago would have been good too. It wouldn't be terrible now either.

And Thank YOU for a very accurate & colorful analogy of your discovery. Every new grower should read this post before June starts.

Good luck!

Steve

6/28/2004 5:15:42 PM

Boyertown, PA, USA

Thanks for the info about Sevin, I had no idea I was doing more harm than good. Since Sevin was sprayed Sunday evening when would it be okay to treat the plant with Triazicide? Can I do it right away again or should I wait?

6/28/2004 10:26:58 PM

[email protected]

In light of the situation, I'd use a low dose now.

6/28/2004 11:04:14 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Keep a close look out for frass (sic). At entry wound of the larva....nematode injection or vine slice migh be needed to save the vine....good luck and grow em big! chuck

6/29/2004 12:18:52 PM

Vermont Green MTN State

Does anyone know what parts of the US these pests are in? I am in Vermont and have never seen anything like this.
Doeski

6/29/2004 3:52:37 PM

Boyertown, PA, USA

Well Tremor I took your advice and applied a half strength mist over and mostly under my plant tonight. I killed two more squash bugs tonight but no signs of any more of the newly hatched larva of the squash vine borer. All I can do now is cross my fingers. Alexsdad, I watch for frass. What's a nematode injection? Is there somewhere I can read up on that? Thanks everybody for your help.

6/29/2004 10:26:44 PM

Vermont Green MTN State

Check out Gardens Alive they sell nematodes. I am ordering some today.
http://gardensalive.com/prog_display.asp?PROG_NBR=11

Doeski

6/30/2004 12:07:02 PM