You've waited all summer for your squash, zucchini, and pumpkins. So when the plants start to wilt and turn into yellow piles of mush, we feel your pain.

The cause? It's probably the squash vine borer. In late June or early July, the adult insects lay eggs at the base of squash and pumpkin vines, and the damage begins.

The hatched larvae of the squash vine borer crawl inside the stems to feast there for several weeks. The larvae block the flow of water to the leaves, which causes the plant to wilt and eventually die. By the time you see wilting and yellow mush, it's probably too late. But you can prevent these larvae from becoming adults and laying eggs that will destroy next year's crop.

how to prevent squash vine borer damage.