A: Pickleworms, which can be quite damaging! What you see is their frass pushed from the inside of the cucumber outwards. The sad thing is that damage makes the fruits inedible. The adult is a brownish-yellow moth that is active at night.

Pickleworm can sometimes be avoided by planting resistant varieties that mature earlier, before the populations become a problem in mid-summer. Also, have bT (Bacillus thuringiensis) on hand and begin using it as soon as flower buds and flowers appear on susceptible plants, like pumpkins, squash, and cantaloupes.

As with any pest or issue, gardeners must make scouting their garden a daily routine.

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