A squash vine borer is a type of moth that lays its eggs at the base of squash plants. When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into the stems, damaging or killing the plant. The moths emerge in early to mid-summer, and lay their eggs at the base of plant stems.
The eggs of squash vine borers are flat, oval and brown. Larvae have a white and wrinkled body. The adult moths have a gray or black body with orange-red marks.
You can recognize squash vine borer damage when the plant starts to wilt and there are holes at the base of the plant. If you cut open the stem, you may see a larva burrowed in it.
To prevent your squashes from being attacked by squash vine borers, you should start your squash as early as possible to miss the summer attacks, and refrain from planting squash in the same area two years in a row since squash vine borers overwinter in the soil. Cover the plants’ stems with a barrier to prevent egg laying.
Squash vine borer damage:
Read more on the Farmer’s Almanac: https://www.almanac.com/pest/squash-vine-borer