This summer I observed something that I had not seen before. I am growing delicata squash in my backyard and I saw holes in one. I then observed a couple of other squashes with holes and frass (insect poop) coming out of the holes. I cut open the squashes and found both green and white caterpillars inside of the fruits. It turned out they were squash vine borers.
As their name suggests, squash vine borers are usually found in the vines. Following this observation, I went to the Sustainable Student Farm (SSF) on campus to look for signs of squash vine borers in squash fruits. As insecticides are not used at either my house or the SSF, I thought I might find some more squash vine borers and I was not wrong. I found them in delicata squash, spaghetti squash, and one on an acorn squash. The caterpillar on the acorn squash had just started to bore into the squash. At this time in the season, there is not really a control measure that works, but you can cut out the caterpillar and the squash is just fine to eat. Squash vine borer does tend to be worse for backyard and small-scale growers.
