Late Bloomers

• The little wigglies in your pumpkin seeds are not earthworms. They may be late larvae descended from squash pests that lay their eggs in pumpkins. Their parents entered the pumpkin at the end of the growing season as the ground cooled and vines withered. Cucumber beetles and squash bugs take late season shelter in pumpkins left to mature in the fields and must lay their eggs in the fruits' interiors. Worm-like nymphs may appear in seeds. Fields with a history of phytophthora blight, fusarium fruit or black rot, or where heavy precipitation creates a wet environment late in the season are more likely to experience invasions of fruit by insects that, in earlier months, prefer soil or plant tissue nesting sites.
  
  

Cucurbit Gourmands

• Fruit-eating pests lay their eggs where they are most likely to survive, including seeds that offer concentrated nourishment to worm-like larvae and pupae. Several bugs invade either the flower or fruit itself. A few of these pests, such as the seedcorn maggot and pickleworm, whose adult form is a moth, actually lay their eggs in seeds that form inside the fruit. Others, such as the wireworm, the larval stage of the click beetle, lay eggs inside fruits and end up in seeds by accident. Squash vine borers also overwinter in their larval stage but, as their name suggests, customarily choose the tissues of the plant itself for shelter.
  
  

Storage Pests

• Pumpkin seeds consumed as food face a threat from insects during storage if they are kept in moist or unsanitary conditions. Thrips, fungus gnats and fruit flies all lay eggs in bins of produce such as pumpkin seeds. Spider mites, whiteflies and aphids are cucurbit pests that may hitch a ride on pumpkins through storage and seed processing.
  
  

Considerations

• Minimize pumpkin infestations by planting seeds in virus-free soil and providing plenty of space for air circulation. Mulch pumpkin mounds lightly to keep moisture in the soil and away from the squashes as they lie on the ground. Keep an eye out for pumpkin pests and engage beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps or lady beetles to keep them under control. Accepted pesticides vary from state to state, so consult master gardeners or a university extension for advice on using pesticides in the pumpkin patch. Harvest pumpkins when the vines shrivel and use them for compost or put them out for deer and other wildlife during the winter to distract them from ornamental trees and shrubs. Avoid infestation of edible pumpkin seeds by roasting them and keeping them in a cool, dry storage environment.