What's eating my sugar baby watermelon?

Sugar Baby watermelon, a compact icebox type, is most threatened by aphids that spread mosaic viruses across the vine. Cucumber beetles attack early in the season and carry bacterial wilt. Rind beetles and pickleworms can bore into developing fruit. Deer and raccoons target ripe watermelons close to harvest.

Curled and yellowed leaves; mosaic virus spread; stunted, bitter fruit on heavily infected vines Reflective mulch; insecticidal soap sprays; encourage beneficial insects; remove virus-infected plants to halt spread

Feeding on cotyledons and flowers; bacterial wilt infection causes vine collapse within a week Row covers until vines flower; kaolin clay; yellow sticky traps; pyrethrin spray targeting adults

Larvae bore into developing fruit and stems in southern US gardens; entry holes become points of rot Bt spray on young larvae before they bore; destroy infested fruit; pheromone traps to monitor adult moth populations

Chewed or hollowed-out ripe fruit; vine tips browsed in early season Motion-activated sprinklers; electric fence; harvest promptly when thumping indicates ripeness