Then I spotted the telltale sawdust-like frass at the base of the stem—and my stomach sank. That’s when I knew I was dealing with squash vine borers. If you’ve ever lost a healthy-looking ...

"Squash vine borer is a species of chewing moth ... holes at the base of plants and the presence of sawdust-like frass. Small borers may be removed by slitting the stem and handpicking them.

You can physically remove larvae from the stem. Follow the frass to the borer hole. With a sharp knife, carefully slit the vine lengthwise, and remove and destroy the borer. Check closely for multiple ...