Striped cucumber beetles, colorado potato beetles, and japanese beetles are most of what I've seen in that patch, pest wise. Stink bugs on the butternut also, and flea beetles on the eggplant. I never ask any of them if they are pollinating, I just do my best to knock them into a cup of alcohol/soap/water. Those striped cucumber beetles are actually hardest of them all to grab.
Interesting about the trimming. That is what I would think as well since the vines are hollow, but I have read it a few times on various websites to trim side shoots.
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