Sesiidae The squash vine borer is a very destructive pest of squash and pumpkins in North Carolina. It is a native pest and is present east of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to South America.
Borers also attack cucumbers and melons to a lesser degree.
Description of Injury Damage first appears as a sudden wilting of a long runner or an entire plant. Closer examination reveals masses of coarse, greenish-yellow excrement which the borer has pushed out from the stem. In commercial squash plantings 25 percent or more of the crop can be damaged. Home plantings suffer even greater losses, as infested vines are often completely girdled and usually become rotten and die. Small borers may enter leaf stems but are most often found toward the base of the plant.