When bees are in short supply (like here in central Houston), I have picked the male flowers, removed the petals, and ran the pollen around the inside of the female flowers.
I have also used a clean artist paint brush ( solely one brush per plant type) to pollenate the melons.
I find the better is the paintbrush.
It has also been my experiance that if I plant winter squash near my cantelope or watermelons, the cross pollenation causes the melons to be somewhat more bitter. (If they do not yellow and fall off first.) I will never do that again.
Hope it helps.
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