Pest identification
What's eating my crimson sweet watermelon?
Striped Cucumber Beetle (Acalymma vittatum)
Signs: Leaf and flower feeding; bacterial wilt transmission kills entire vines within days of infection
Control: Row covers until flowering; kaolin clay; yellow sticky traps; pyrethrin or spinosad; remove wilt-infected plants immediately
Melon Aphid (Aphis gossypii)
Signs: Clustered colonies on leaf undersides; honeydew and sooty mold; watermelon mosaic virus spread causing distorted rind and poor fruit set
Control: Reflective mulch; insecticidal soap; conserve natural predators; rogue out mosaic-infected plants
Squash Vine Borer
Signs: Wilting vines with frass at stem holes; larvae feed inside main stem; most damaging on young plants
Control: Row covers; stem wraps; Bt injected into entry holes; bury nodes to encourage auxiliary rooting
Raccoons
Signs: Fruit chewed open or dragged from vines; damage concentrated in the week before and after peak ripeness
Control: Electric fence at 6 and 12 inches; motion-activated lights; harvest as soon as ground spot turns yellow
Keep crimson sweet watermelon pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Crimson Sweet Watermelon pests — FAQ
What is eating my crimson sweet watermelon?
Crimson Sweet is one of the most widely grown watermelon cultivars and attracts the full range of cucurbit pests. Cucumber beetles and the bacterial wilt they carry are the most immediate threat. Aphids spread mosaic viruses. Squash vine borers occasionally attack. Deer and raccoons target the large fruit near harvest.
How do I get rid of striped cucumber beetle (acalymma vittatum) on crimson sweet watermelon?
Leaf and flower feeding; bacterial wilt transmission kills entire vines within days of infection Row covers until flowering; kaolin clay; yellow sticky traps; pyrethrin or spinosad; remove wilt-infected plants immediately
How do I get rid of melon aphid (aphis gossypii) on crimson sweet watermelon?
Clustered colonies on leaf undersides; honeydew and sooty mold; watermelon mosaic virus spread causing distorted rind and poor fruit set Reflective mulch; insecticidal soap; conserve natural predators; rogue out mosaic-infected plants
How do I get rid of squash vine borer on crimson sweet watermelon?
Wilting vines with frass at stem holes; larvae feed inside main stem; most damaging on young plants Row covers; stem wraps; Bt injected into entry holes; bury nodes to encourage auxiliary rooting
How do I get rid of raccoons on crimson sweet watermelon?
Fruit chewed open or dragged from vines; damage concentrated in the week before and after peak ripeness Electric fence at 6 and 12 inches; motion-activated lights; harvest as soon as ground spot turns yellow