What's eating my rouge vif d'etampes pumpkin?

Rouge Vif d'Etampes pumpkins are large, long-season Cucurbita maxima types highly attractive to squash vine borers and squash bugs. Their thick vines and sprawling habit also make them targets for deer and raccoons once fruit develops. Powdery mildew is a secondary concern but is a fungal issue, not a pest.

Wilting vines with sawdust frass at stem base; larvae tunnel the main stem and kill established plants Row covers until female flowers open; wrap base of stems; inject Bt into borer holes; bury vine nodes to encourage secondary rooting

Stippled, wilting foliage; masses of bronze eggs on leaf undersides; nymphs and adults suck plant sap and inject wilt-inducing toxins Daily hand-pick egg masses and adults; trap under boards overnight; neem oil on young nymphs; remove crop debris after harvest

Feeding scars on leaves and young rinds; bacterial wilt transmission causes sudden vine death Kaolin clay spray; yellow sticky traps; row covers early; remove and destroy wilted plants to prevent spread

Large bite marks or fruit removed from vines as it ripens; pumpkins can be rolled and hollowed out overnight Electric fence around patch; motion-activated lights or sprinklers; harvest fruit promptly when ripe