What's eating my jarrahdale pumpkin?

Jarrahdale pumpkins (a blue-grey Australian heirloom, Cucurbita maxima) face squash vine borers and squash bugs as the primary threats in US gardens. In UK gardens where vine borers are absent, aphids and slug damage to seedlings are more likely. Deer and rabbits may browse young vines in both regions.

Sudden vine wilt with frass-filled tunnels in the stem base; larvae consume stem tissue from inside Row covers until anthesis; wrap stem bases with foil; inject Bt into entry holes; bury nodes to encourage rooting along the vine

Yellow, bronze-flecked leaves that wilt despite adequate water; bronze egg clusters on leaf undersides Hand-pick eggs and adults at dawn; lay cardboard traps overnight; neem oil on nymphs under 4th instar

Irregular holes in young leaves and seedling stems; silvery slime trails; particularly damaging in damp UK growing conditions Copper tape around beds; iron phosphate slug pellets (safe for wildlife); beer traps; hand-pick at night

Clean-cut browsing of young vine tips and leaves; can set back plants significantly at seedling stage Hardware cloth or chicken wire fence (at least 2 ft tall, buried 6 in below soil); repellent sprays as secondary measure