Pickleworm

GoDawgs · June 9, 2019

The pickleworm has returned in the cukes and summer squash. Last year was the first time ever dealing with it so I had to research it. A moth lays eggs in pollinated blossoms of cukes and squash and so the worm bores into the fruit to munch. Apparently it comes up from south Florida or thereabouts and heads up the east coast around mid June to mid July. Well, it's here now.

I first noticed damage on three of seven cukes picked a couple days ago and now I've found one or two damaged summer squash. Their bed is right next to the cuke bed.

Here's the damage on a zucchini, first the outward evidence and then the interior damage:

The moth does it's thing after sundown so covering cukes and squash at dusk and then uncovering during the day is the prescribed treatment along with spraying the day's wilting blossoms with bT in the evening after the pollinators have gone home.

To deal with Miss Pickleworm Moth I might dispense with using hoops on the cuke and squash beds and just lay row cover directly over the plants early in the evening and uncover them in the morning.

It's always something, isn't it?

June 9, 2019	#1
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Pickleworm The pickleworm has returned in the cukes and summer squash. Last year was the first time ever dealing with it so I had to research it. A moth lays eggs in pollinated blossoms of cukes and squash and so the worm bores into the fruit to munch. Apparently it comes up from south Florida or thereabouts and heads up the east coast around mid June to mid July. Well, it's here now. I first noticed damage on three of seven cukes picked a couple days ago and now I've found one or two damaged summer squash. Their bed is right next to the cuke bed. Here's the damage on a zucchini, first the outward evidence and then the interior damage: The moth does it's thing after sundown so covering cukes and squash at dusk and then uncovering during the day is the prescribed treatment along with spraying the day's wilting blossoms with bT in the evening after the pollinators have gone home. To deal with Miss Pickleworm Moth I might dispense with using hoops on the cuke and squash beds and just lay row cover directly over the plants early in the evening and uncover them in the morning. It's always something, isn't it?