What Bugs Kill Cantaloupes?

Melon Aphids

• Melon aphids are small, pear-shaped bugs that are found in clusters primarily on the plant’s growing tips. They grow to a maximum of 1/8 of an inch and can be varying shades of yellow, green or black. Melon aphids create a number of problems for the cantaloupe. Growth of leaves, flowers and buds are stunted and distorted by aphids sucking the sap from the plant. Severely infected leaves and flowers die and drop off. Aphids also secrete a sticky, sugary substance called honeydew that can grow a sooty mold. They can also introduce deadly viruses while feeding on the sap. Strong sprays of water will usually knock them off. Biological controls are also effective. Aphid midges, lacewings and parasitic wasps feed on melon aphids and are easy to release into the garden.

Whiteflies

• Whiteflies are sucking insects that reside on the underside of leaves. They get their name from their powdery white wings, which they use to fly with when disturbed. Whitefly larvae are flattened, legless, translucent scales on the leaf’s underside. Both nymphs and adults weaken the plant by sucking the sap or plant juices. They can also introduce viral diseases into the plant while feeding. One such virus, the squash vein yellowing virus, kills plants right before or during harvest. Whiteflies also secrete honeydew that can grow a black fungus or sooty mold, further weakening the plant. Although they winter only in the southern United States, they are introduced to gardens throughout North America on infested greenhouse stock and transplants. Whiteflies can be vacuumed from the leaves, and the sticky honeydew can be washed off with water. Attracting predatory beetles and parasitic wasps can be an effective control.

Spider Mites

• Spider mites are minute eight-legged creatures that form fine webbing where they feed. They also suck plant juices, weakening the plant and causing leaves to drop. Besides webbing, yellow speckled or reddish-brown areas will appear on leaves. Damage by spider mites can quickly kill a plant if left unchecked. Biological controls such as predatory mites and beetles are effective. Light infestations can be handled with water spray.

Squash Bugs

• The squash bug is a flat-backed, brownish black bug that grows to ½ inch. The nymphs are wingless and gray or whitish green. Adults and nymphs cause leaves and shoots to blacken and die back by sucking the plant’s sap. They also carry the cucurbit yellow vine disease (CYVD) which eventually kills the plant it infects. The eggs, nymphs and adults should be handpicked from underneath the leaves. Because squash bugs stay near the ground, growing cantaloupes on trellises may help. At night, squash bugs hide under debris on the ground, making bug traps in the form of boards or flat pieces of wood on the ground an effective way to capture a large number of bugs at one time. Native parasitic flies are effective as biological controls.

Cucumber Beetles

• Cucumber beetles enjoy more than just cucumber plants. They like cantaloupe plants, too. They come in two types: spotted and striped. They are yellow or greenish yellow with either black spots or black stripes. Adults feed on leaves and blossoms while the larvae, which appear as white grubs, feed on roots. Younger, smaller plants are most susceptible to damage. Also, cucumber beetles can transmit viral and bacterial diseases. One bacterium that cucumber beetles can carry is Erwinia tracheiphila, which causes bacterial wilt. To help prevent the beetles, keep the area around the plants free of weeds and debris. Parasitic nematodes work to control the larvae.