Organic pest control

 Squash Wine Borer

Do your squash plants suddenly struggle? This may be the job of a squash flag drill. Here are tips on how to identify, control and remove squash flag drills!

What are Squash Wine Fighters?

It can be very frustrating when your squash thrives and suddenly starts to rot. This may be the result of a squash vine borer (SVB), a type of moth that lays eggs at the base of squash plants. When the eggs hatch, the larvae (or "holes") go into the lower stems, weakening or killing the plant.

Found throughout eastern America, squash flag borers commonly attack squash, zucchini, squash, and a variety of squash. They like Hubbard squash and do not like Butternut squash. Other cucurbits like cucumbers and melons are not usually targeted.

Drills float on cocoons that mature in the soil. When the adult moths emerge from early summer to mid-summer, they lay individually or in small groups at the base of the plant stems. The eggs hatch within 1 to 2 weeks of laying. The larvae burrow into the stems to feed for about 2 to 4 weeks; Sometimes they can pierce the fruit. In northern parts of North America, there is usually only one generation per year; In the southern regions, there may be 2 generations.

If caught in advance, the plant can be saved. If the eggs are caught after frying, it may be too late. Controlling the squash flag drill is mainly preventive.

Identification

How to Identify Squash Wine Fighters

Eggs: Eggs small, flattened, oval, and brown. Eggs are laid around the base of squash plants.

Larvae: If you open a spine long with a sharp, sharp knife, you will see larvae with a fat, white, short body, and brown head; It can grow up to an inch.

Moth: The adult squash flag borer is a moth about 5 inches long. It has a gray or black body with its abdomen, legs and head marked orange-red. The hind wings are transparent and the front wings are metallic green.

Identifying Squash Wine Fighter Damage

First, the leaves of the plant begin to rot indescribably.

Look for holes in the base of the plant and "frost" like green or orange-yellow sawdust, which is the chewing stem when the larvae bury in the plant.

Squash flag borer larvae feed on material inside plant stems. The stem will first start to rot at the feeding site.

Control and prevention

How to Defend Squash Wine Wars

Like most pests, prevention is important.

Sometimes, the best solution is to start your squash early. This way, the plants will be strong enough to withstand any mid-summer attacks, and you can harvest before the squash flag borers become active. If you plant early, you should be prepared to cover your plants in case of a late frost.

Do not plant squash in the same place for two consecutive years. Squash flag drills float on cocoons in the soil. Also, clean and dispose of all plant debris in the fall.

Once the squash plants are ready for the zucchini season, discard them. Until the soil removes excess pupae in the fall and spring.

Body restraints may be a great way to prevent squash flagellum:

Cover the stems of the plants with a barrier such as nylon stockings or aluminum foil to prevent them from laying eggs.

Before the flowers appear on the plants, use row cards to prevent squash flag borers. Cards for pollinators should be removed. This will not only start you off pests but also protect your plants from strong heat and frost.

Adding parasitic wasps to your garden before the egg stage of the flag borer can be helpful because these wasps are the natural enemy of borers.

If you drop zucchini that are prone to flag piercing, try growing more resistant squash. Butternut squash and cuckoo (also known as Laganaria cesarean) - also known as snake pumpkin - are resistant to squash flag borer attacks.

Plant extra squash for pests! This pest is only 6 to 8 weeks old and can only eat so much (or so we think!), So making sure you have plenty of plants can avoid total loss for the season.

How to Get Rid of Squash Wine Wars

If you already notice signs of squash flag borers, use these methods to get rid of them or at least reduce the damage to your crops.

If you catch them in advance, you can manually remove the squash flag drill. Locate the entry point of the larvae and then cut the stems lengthwise with a thin, sharp knife to remove the larvae by hand. There are many larvae in a plant. Carefully remove the larvae without causing much damage to the plant. After removal, cover the split stem area with moist soil above the wound site to encourage the formation of secondary roots. Also, the extra fertile soil near the vines helps them grow back.

If you can find gate holes and “sawdust”, insert a wire and try to kill the larvae a short distance inside through the trunk.

Spray Diatomaceous earth around the stems when the squash vines are small or when the threat of squash flag piercers is high (early to mid-summer). Apply again after showering. Also, build soil around the vines. Or, spray black pepper around the plants for protection.

If possible, catch and destroy the moths while resting on the upper leaves of the plants in the evening or early morning.

There are also pesticides that work, but time is of the essence; Eggs are only really effective when used during frying.

Bacillus thuringiensis v. The bacterium Gustaki ("BT") is a natural pesticide that can be injected into squash stalks and used.

Insecticides containing carbaryl (Sevin) or permethrin also work on squash flag drills. Always read labels and warnings carefully before using pesticides.

See your local co-op extension service for advice on appropriate chemical controls.

Dip adult orange moths into yellow sticky traps and yellow bowls with soapy water.

The trap crop of Hubbard squash planted very early is used to relieve pest pressure on other squash.