Pest identification
What's eating my netted muskmelon?
Cucumber beetle (striped & spotted)
Signs: Feeding scars on leaves and fruit rind; bacterial wilt spreads through the vine, causing rapid collapse
Control: Row covers until anthesis, kaolin clay, yellow sticky traps, pyrethrin or spinosad sprays when populations are high
Aphids (melon aphid, Aphis gossypii)
Signs: Curled, sticky leaves; yellowing; honeydew promotes sooty mold and can reduce fruit sugar content
Control: Reflective mulch to deter aphids, water blasts, insecticidal soap, or introduce Aphidius parasitoids
Spider mites
Signs: Stippled, bronzed foliage with fine webbing; worst in hot, dry weather
Control: Irrigate consistently, apply neem oil or horticultural oil, use predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis)
Raccoons & deer
Signs: Ripe melons chewed open or entirely removed; tracks and tooth marks in rind
Control: Hardware cloth cages over individual fruit, electric fencing perimeter, or harvest melons at first sign of full-slip
Keep netted muskmelon pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Netted Muskmelon pests — FAQ
What is eating my netted muskmelon?
Netted muskmelons are cucurbits vulnerable to cucumber beetles (which spread bacterial wilt), aphids, and spider mites during dry spells. Squash vine borers and squash bugs can also strike. Animals such as deer and raccoons target ripe melons. Cucumber beetles are the primary pest concern throughout the growing season.
How do I get rid of cucumber beetle (striped & spotted) on netted muskmelon?
Feeding scars on leaves and fruit rind; bacterial wilt spreads through the vine, causing rapid collapse Row covers until anthesis, kaolin clay, yellow sticky traps, pyrethrin or spinosad sprays when populations are high
How do I get rid of aphids (melon aphid, aphis gossypii) on netted muskmelon?
Curled, sticky leaves; yellowing; honeydew promotes sooty mold and can reduce fruit sugar content Reflective mulch to deter aphids, water blasts, insecticidal soap, or introduce Aphidius parasitoids
How do I get rid of spider mites on netted muskmelon?
Stippled, bronzed foliage with fine webbing; worst in hot, dry weather Irrigate consistently, apply neem oil or horticultural oil, use predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis)
How do I get rid of raccoons & deer on netted muskmelon?
Ripe melons chewed open or entirely removed; tracks and tooth marks in rind Hardware cloth cages over individual fruit, electric fencing perimeter, or harvest melons at first sign of full-slip