squash vine borer – Melittia curcubitae
The larva of the squash vine borer (Melittia curcubitae) burrows into the stems and crowns of squash, zucchini, and pumpkin plants, eating surrounding tissue and causing a distinct wilting damage to the plant. A new guide in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management outlines the variety of management methods growers and IPM professionals can use to combat the squash vine borer. (Photo credit: Gerald Holmes, California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org)