What could have killed my yellow crookneck squash?

Question

The plant seemed healthy enough, though not flowering yet because of a late garden start this year. Suddenly (this morning) I noticed the stem, where it joined the earth, had turned brown. A closer inspection showed it to be rotted through! The rest of the plant still "looks" alive, but I know it will die now that it has no root system.

Was this a disease, fungus, or some sort of caterpillar at work? Are the rest of my plants at risk (more crookneck, as well as tomatoes and cantaloupe)? Is there any way to fight this?

All help is really appreciated!

Answer 1

Sounds like a squash vine borer.  Take a knife and cut the vine open lenght wise and look for a catillar that looks like a fat maggot.  Then you will know for sure.  

I am referring you to a page from an extension service that deals with squash problems

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distributio...

Planting in a different location will not help prevent borers..  They are the larva of a moth,  they fly to the squash, rather than being ground  born..

Answer 2

you have squash borers.  not much you can do about it, just plant in a different spot nex time and hope for the best.  its happened to all of us.