Yes that definitely sounds like a typical vine borer nightmare. I would leave the viable section there, especially if it is still vibrant-looking. May as well get some fruit off of it if possible. You can start a new plant (or not) depending on your zone and whether the moth is gone or still around (check with your extension service or ask a seasoned gardener in your 'hood). Some zones have two separate hatchings of those friggers. It's enough to make some of us cry.

Moth? These turn into moths? I've noticed a bunch of white, blue, and brown colored moths all over the yard. Does this mean this will spread to my other plants that aren't touching the zucchini?

Yeah, it's like the ugliest moth ever. It sounds like what you described all over your yard. They'll only go for squash plants that are not resistant to it. So if you're growing yellow squash or zukes in the same garden they may have already hit or will.

This is what it looks like: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/images/M1209-1-lg.jpg

I saw my first vine borer moth. It arrived at 6pm, just when I went to check the squash. It had an orange but, couldnt see the rest of body because black wings were covering it but I got so excited. My garden gloves were not handy so somehow I wrestled him to the ground and stood ontop of him. I yelled for someone to bring the cup with soapy water and in it, he went. What a site and a moment to remember indeed!

It's even better to catch them in a lidded glass jar and then leave it in the full sun.

I have yet to actually SEE the moth but I have seen what those frickin (cuss cuss cuss)VB's did to all my plants. I am a first time gardener and kept up on the pests I could encounter. My squash plants were hugh and really pretty. I went away and while I was gone (my husband watered the garden and got rid of some squash bug eggs) they destroyed all of them. The look horrid. I read not to compost the plant. But just destroy or trash it. When you see the FRASS (the wet cornmeal substance at the base of the plant) you pretty much have the BUG! You can find the little hole where it entered and cut a slit, seek and destroy. I was told you could cover the slit you made with soil and the plant should survive...with prayer. I will not plant squash again...I don't know what I was thinking I hate bugs. And now I have leaf-footed bugs on my tomatoes...new battle. Boy am I learning a lot!!!! I know next year.

pishapoo, I had an infestation of leaf footed bugs, stink bugs etc on my tomatoes last year. They just started getting on them again and my brother in law (a landscaper) gave me a chemical called Acephate Pro 75 (also called Orthene)

It kills bugs on contact and then goes in and works systemically against all sucking and chewing insects. you have to carefully spray when there is no bee activity (as with all pesticides) but after an hour it absorbs into the plants tissue and kills stuff that attacks later.

SO FAR after 4 days, NOT a single sign of a stink bug or leaf footed bug. Nothing on my squash either, which I used it on as well.

I'm seriously hoping that it works against the dreaded SVB grub as well. My nephew has a huge garden an hour south of me and NOT A SINGLE SVB!!! Everyone of his squash plants thrived... Maybe my tomatoes will finally have a chance this year too.

I hope you're not eating anything from those plants, I'm pretty sure Orthene in NOT for edible crops!

VEGETABLES
ORTHENE Insecticide can be used as a foliar spray to protect labeled vegetable crops from European corn borer, tarnished plant bug, potato flea beetle, green peach aphid and other damaging pests. Plus, it can be applied to young tomato plants in transplant water to provide systemic protection during those critical first weeks of crop development.

I hate the idea of using chemicals on the vegetables we eat. I have 3 small children and I hate the idea of them having that stuff in their system especially since even a small amount might do harm to them. They also like to "play" in the garden and help and then are likely to touch their mouths. Are there any non-chemical or organic pest controls that actually work?

Don't give up on squash - last year the SVB damage killed all my squash, but this year I was prepared. What did I do? First, I moved my squash plants to a new area, far, far away from the old. I use organic deterrents including neem oil spray and an insecticidal soap spray. The planting area is a brand new raised bed with compost rich soil. I check the leaves every other day, just a few glances, to look for evidence of SVB moths, eggs and vine holes or damage (if you find it early you can inject vine with Bt solution). So far my patty-pans are great, and I've got some pumpkins on the vines too. I'll stay vigilant, though!!! BTW I planted the specialty squash only because I can get zukes really cheap. Figured I'd grow the tasty fancy ones - so far so good.

Omg(osh), I forgot what might have been the most important change I made: floating row covers when the squash plants were babies.Used them for heat so I could plant early - but might've been why no svb damage yet.

I think eggs get deposited in soil near squash stems, and when the eggs hatch, the larvae bore into the stems and start futzing around in there.

To prevent the borers from gnawing into the stems, wrap the lowest portion of the squash stems with aluminum foil. Allow for the foil to expand as the stem expands.

However, if vines are growing for long lengths on the ground, as described above, foil may not be practical.....

I second row covers: scroll down to the picture of Fanfortony's ingenious tulle row cover.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fanfortony's tulle row covers

I've also heard that you can put a sleeve of nylon sock over the plant when it is young and small and push it a little down into the ground. I've never tried it because I don't have hose.

You all seem to be very familiar with these terms so I feel silly asking, but can someone explain the difference between floating row covers, row covers and tulle? I have some white "horticultural cloth" I just put over my new baby squash plants to protect them from the dreaded SVB moths. It's supposed to let sun and rain in. They look so bridal!

Last night I went out to check the remains of my zucchini. I saw that some of the leaves were starting to yellow, so I checked the stem and sure enough more SVBs. I just pulled the whole plant. At the base were some green egg looking things. Hopefully I was able to remove all the bugs, since I have Hubbard squash growing a few feet away.

Hi Alicev.

I have had trouble with SVB in an all organic garden for the last two years. I was somewhat successful last year with organic methods and am having better luck this year. I'll know in a few weeks exactly how well I did. Here are some of what I use:

1) Tulle and Reemay floating row covers. My SVB showed up on June 8th much to my horror. I covered all the young plants (quite a few) with tulle and the more solid white reemay row cover. As the plants grew larger and started blooming, I uncovered my varieties that are more SVB resistant and let them vine up the trellis. The susceptible varieties were not completely screened off, but the SVB concentrated on the easy ones. The bees, on the other hand, found their way under the tulle (and out again) so I could stop hand pollinating. I like the tulle MUCH better. I can see the plants and the plants breath better and have less of an issue with Powdery Mildew.

2) Manually removing the eggs and checking for frass. I check all the vines for the eggs. They are very small, flat and reddish brown. Occasionally they group in clusters, but only of 5-6 maximum. They are most commonly on the vines, but also check the leaf stems, the new fruit and the curly-q things (technical term). Just scrape them off with your finger or use tape. This is what they look like:
{{gwi:28591}}

3) BT and Nematodes: when you see frass or have a plant wilting, you can try manually removing the borer, injecting BT (Dipel, Thuricide, etc - BT for caterpillars) or injecting predatory nematodes. I've tried removing the borer by cutting with a razor blade and fishing out with a hooked paperclip. This is what I did last year with the injection method:

"I also injected BT directly into the infected vines. I mixed it at 1 teaspoon BT to 1 cup water and injected 1ml at each spot. I used an 18g needle and 3ml syringe. They are available from any farm and ranch/livestock catalog or feed store. I also tried injecting predatory nematodes into the zucchini vines. I mixed it up as instructed, transferred to the sharp needle (the one it comes with is useless) and injected .5 to 1 ml per spot. THIS IS IMPORTANT: wear safety glasses/goggles when injecting. The squash vines will clog the needle occasionally and, when that happens, the needle comes away from the syringe and the bt or nematodes shoot back directly into your face. It is not any fun flushing your eyes out for 20 minutes and then frantically searching the internet to find out if the nematodes are about to eat your eyes (they won't, there have been accidents at the facilities that grow the nematodes and everyone is fine). Also, do not dispose of the needles directly into the trash. Drug stores sell containers for used needles (for insulin needles)."

So far, I've injected BT once this year on an infected plant. It is still OK, but I'm watching it. I saved several infected plants last year, but I don't know if it was the BT or the nematodes.

Last year, I also sprayed with Thuricide (BT for caterpillars) mixed 4T to a gallon. Wear goggles when you spray it! It irritates the eyes. You need to do this before the eggs are hatched and in the vine, preferably before they are laid on the vine.

4) Radishes - I plant radishes in with the squash, but this only works with plants on the ground. I trellis too many of my squash and, once they reach three feet, the radishes don't protect any more.

5) Resistant Varieties. I have many summer squash and winter squash that have been resistant to SVB in my garden or have a reputation to be (trialing this year). Here's my list - A = very resistant, B = somewhat resistant or C = trialing, said to be resistant.
Summer: Gialla Nostrale (B), Serpente di Sicilia zucchetta (C), Lemon (C), Tatume (C), Trombachino/Tromba d'Albenga (A)
Winter: Futsu Black (A), Choctaw Sweet Potato (C), Waltham Butternut (B), Dulce de Horno (C), Thai Kang Kob (C), Butternut Rugusa (C), African Winter Squash (B). Shishigantani (B).

Hope this helps with the SVB war! If it is too late for this year's squash, replant Tromba d'Albenga now. I did that last year and still had squash until October. Plan for next year and you will be able to have summer squash in an organic garden! It just takes a bit of work.

Good luck,
Bellatrix

Here is a link that might be useful: Predatory Nematodes for SVBs