What pests attack melon?

Cucumber beetles, Squash bug, Two-spotted spider mite, Whitefly

What diseases affect melon?

Bacterial soft rot, Bacterial wilt of cucurbits, Downy Mildew, Fusarium wilt, Leaf Curl Virus, White mould (Sclerotinia), Anthracnose, Verticillium wilt

Melon pests and diseases: how to recognise them

Q: Which melon problems need quick action?

Cucumber beetles: Yellow beetles about 6–7 mm long with three black stripes (striped cucumber beetle) or yellow-green with 12 black spots (spotted cucumber beetle) on seedlings, leaves, flowers and fruit. Bacterial soft rot: Small water-soaked spots that quickly enlarge, sink and turn soft and mushy; the tissue underneath is cream to black. Bacterial wilt of cucurbits: Leaves on one runner turn dull green and wilt, even in moist soil; the wilt spreads along the vine to the crown and the whole plant dies. Downy Mildew: Pale green, yellow, purple or brown blotches on the upper side of leaves, often angular where they are bordered by the veins. Fusarium wilt: Wilting and yellowing that often starts on one side of the plant, a branch or even a leaf; lower leaves yellow first. Leaf Curl Virus: Young leaves are small, curl upward and look crumpled, with yellowing between the veins and along the margins. White mould (Sclerotinia): A soft, wet rot on stems, often near soil level; plants suddenly turn yellow, wilt and collapse.

Cucumis melo

The pests, diseases and disorders recorded for melon in our library, each with a photo and its first symptom. Every page has the full list of symptoms, organic and chemical treatment and prevention.

At a glance

Problems in total	13
Pests	4
Diseases	8
Growing conditions	1
Need quick action	7

How to grow melon · All pests and diseases

Pests

Cucumber beetlesYellow beetles about 6–7 mm long with three black stripes (striped cucumber beetle) or yellow-green with 12 black spots (spotted cucumber beetle) on seedlings, leaves, flowers and fruit.Also called: striped cucumber beetle, spotted cucumber beetlePhoto: Pollinator, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Squash bugAdults are flat, grey-brown bugs about 1.6 cm long with orange-striped abdomen edges; young nymphs are pale green, older ones grey with dark wing pads.Photo: Pollinator at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Two-spotted spider miteFine pale stippling or mottling on the upper leaf surface; leaves may turn bronze.Also called: red spider mitePhoto: Gilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
WhiteflyClouds of tiny white-winged insects, about 1.5 mm long, fly up when the plant is disturbed.Photo: gaucho, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Diseases

Growing conditions

Fruit crackingCracks in ripening fruit, either radiating out from the stalk or in rings around the shoulders of the fruit.Photo: Fructibus, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

Which melon problems need quick action?

These spread or do lasting harm fast; check the plants and start treatment the day you see them.

Cucumber beetles: Chewed cotyledons, leaves and stems of young plants; scarred fruit rind on older plants.
Bacterial soft rot: Slimy ooze and a strong, foul smell from the rotting tissue.
Bacterial wilt of cucurbits: Wilted leaves develop yellow and dead patches and shrivel.
Downy Mildew: A white, grey or purple mould on the underside of the leaf, directly below each blotch, in damp weather.
Fusarium wilt: At first the plant seems to recover overnight, but the wilt soon becomes permanent; growth is stunted and few fruits form.
Leaf Curl Virus: Plants are stunted and stay upright and bushy because the internodes are short; plants infected young are severely stunted.
White mould (Sclerotinia): Masses of fluffy white, cotton-like mould on the affected parts, especially in cool, damp weather.

Plants with many of the same problems

Which plants each problem affects: sources

The links between these problems and the plant were checked against these pages.