Yep, a common myth is that SVBs don't affect moschata. OK, moschata may be somewhat "resistant" to SVBs, but they are hardly immune. Then again, our Texas SVBs may well be more persistent at boring than others. I believe if the leaves are declining already, especially later in the season, the SVB can hit up the fruit.

I've been reading about pickleworms as a curiosity, but no, these were definitely SVB. I've got a lot of experience cutting them out of vines over the years, unfortunately, but in the squash itself was a new one for me this time.

Wow! I can't say I have ever had an SVB bore into the squash itself, just the vines. I don't know of any reason it couldn't or wouldn't as it all depends on where the moth laid the egg but usually the damage I find to the squash is from other kinds of caterpillars, cutworms, wireworms and such.

I've become a devoted insect barrier row cover user and hand pollinating with all my squash as it eliminates all the problems. What are the chances for a new planted crop in your location?

Dave

Probably zero, now, because I assume there's some in the ground, and I'm still seeing the moths flying around right now. I actually haven't grown any squash for a few years because of SVB issues, so this was a test to see how well moschatas hold up to borers (answer: not well). I used cloth covers for the first wave, but the vines grew too long to keep under barriers for the second (or third?) wave. More annoying, I'm still waiting on the butternuts to finish so I can rip down the vines, which are also infested at every other leaf joint.

As an aside, I always see Tatume recommend for Texas for SVB resistance, and I'd like to mention that it does not work. I'm not growing it this year, btw.

I too picked a zucchini yesterday that had a SVB about 1/4th inch into it. It had the "sawdust" look around the spot. Didn't see any spots on the vine. A first for me.

That happened to one of my Queensland Blue Squashes last year. A vine borer tunneled right into the squash.

Vine borers have always done that to us here. My dad used to have a beautiful zucchini plant beside our house that was putting off quite a bit of fruit. We walked out to harvest one day and there were vine borers all in the fruit and the leaves....Then my dad also had a pumpkin plant out back last year. It put on a beautiful pumpkin, then we saw the leaves yellow and die, and then the vine borers all over the pumpkin eating it. You could smell the fruit rotting. It was absolutely nasty...

Man, jacoblockcuff, that's depressing. Well, I thought I just had bad luck, but it looks like this is more common than I thought. I think the part that really surprised me is that these are mature squash with hard rinds, and I was waiting for the connecting stems to dry and harden before harvesting when I noticed the damage. I grew Kikuza, Kogigu, and Chiriman squash this year, along with the mentioned Butternuts. I was originally planning on trying some new ones for next year (Greek Sweet Red, Long Island Cheese, and a couple of different Japanese squash), but after this I'm changing gears instead. My gardening space was expanded this year for more growing room, but it is still a hobby for me, and life's too short to deal with SVBs. I can just grow more melons instead (still SVB free, so far), or I could try growing collards, which I've never tried before (and the thread here has peaked my interest).

Just wanted to chime in and say that if you do use row covers or insect barrier, make sure all corners and edges are secure! Somehow a SVB found its way UNDERNEATH the netting (there was maybe a 1/2 inch gap between the pvc netting cage and the ground) and all of the sudden I see frass! Ugh! I didn't think they'd be that smart!

If squash was grown in the soil last year, the SVB don't have to find their way under the insect barrier... they come up from the ground.

Now, I have seen quite a few people use insect dusts such as Sevin or diatomaceous earth early on in the season to kill the bugs, so that's an option. It depends on whether you're into organic or non-organic gardening though really. I've never tried it. I've also seen use of soapy water sprays. However, there's nothing wrong with a delicious melon on a warm summer day!!

The only issue with the barriers I imagine is keeping winter squash inside of them! How does that work? My pumpkins this year have taken over not only the garden but they're also climbing my fence and trailing over it!

Yes, my squash (moschata, no less) get hit by SVBs regularly, but my melons grow with abandon without any sign of SVB problems. Not quite sure how I manage that, as melons are supposed to be targets for them.

I'll add to the list of occurrences. I had a SVB bore into my Waltham Butternut squash(not the vine) last year. They also got 2 zucchini plants on the other side of the garden...little !%#@s

A good year here so far concerning SVBs, 2 plants are infested but still ok. There are Lots of garden toads all over this year so I'm thanking them for my minor insect pest problems.