Squash Bug Control

jtjmartin · June 27, 2019

I was away for 9 days - I came back to 100s of squash bug nymphs, eggs and adults. I've dealt with squash vine borers every year I've gardened - but never squash bugs!

Eggs - I've tried masking tape, but its quicker just to tear the egg clusters off. Anything I can apply to the eggs to kill them?

Nymphs - Boy, they are great at hiding under leaves. I think I have most of them through using pyrethrin and spinosad. Both of these were a lot more effective once I thinned out damaged and old leaves. Any other tips?

Adults - (same as nymphs) I also smush them or drop them in soapy water when I catch them.

Other controls, tips, moral support

?

yardn_gardn · June 28, 2019

This is mainly going to be moral support, but I have notice that being very careful about removing the vines and destroying them at the end of the season is helpful. Sometimes I rototill in the fall if not removing and burning if possible. I also noticed that when I mulch the plants with straw or bark, spiders seem to offer some predatory control. Good luck, squash bugs are awful.

jtjmartin · June 28, 2019

Thanks yardn - that's a good idea. I bag up all my tomato debris - I'll start to do it with squash also.

LK2016 · June 28, 2019

I had a terrible infestation of squash bugs last year. I found that if I watered, they run upwards so you can see them, and then I sprayed them with a mixture of dish soap and water, which killed them instantly.

brownrexx · June 28, 2019

I read somewhere that they would hide under a board if you put one near your plants but it didn't work for me. I used small pieces of 2x4's but if I would try it again I might use something thinner and wider and make sure that it was moist underneath.

JerryHaskins · June 28, 2019

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...spray-32-fl-oz

jtjmartin · June 28, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerryHaskins

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...spray-32-fl-oz

Looks like the active ingredient is a pyrethroid.

Thanks!

b54red · June 28, 2019

I killed three this morning when I watered my squash. Used my handy spray bottle with Permethrin and soapy water and sprayed them individually as they crawled up the leaf stems after I watered. I didn't see my first one until about 10 days ago and since then have seen and killed about a dozen and found a few egg patches also.

Bill

jtjmartin · June 28, 2019

I just got back in from checking. I'm down from hundreds to about 10 found tonight. I'll add some soap to my Permethrin. I also removed a few more egg clusters from eggplant that is near the squash.

AlittleSalt · June 29, 2019

A 12 gauge shotgun! Levity.

Almost everything else discussed here helps. I'm not sure about those boards either - I tried and it didn't work.

The "Squash Bugs" actually like cucurbits which includes cucumber, melon, pumpkin, squash, and Zucchini. You could find squash bugs on any of these plants. I'm speaking from frustrated experience.

Moral Support: Last year, I did grow three 5 gallon buckets of three plants each squash and Zucchini on the opposite side of our house from the infected garden. There were no squash bugs and the squash produced heavily. I'm going to try it again this fall.

I have a lot of thoughts on this, but thoughts are like opinions in-a-way. I would rather write from experience.

Worth1 · June 29, 2019

The dreaded kissing bug.
Been in fear of them all my life.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...61891524137781

http://www.nbcdfw.com/investigations...345192802.html

jtjmartin · June 29, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

The dreaded kissing bug.
Been in fear of them all my life.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...61891524137781

http://www.nbcdfw.com/investigations...345192802.html

Eeewwww! Glad we avoided those blood suckers in our recent visit to Texas!

Worth1 · June 29, 2019

I have seen the darn things several times in areas.
I was just talking to a guy the other day about them.
He had never heard of the dreaded kissing bug.

Then we also have the dreaded grey blister bug/beetle farther up north.
Never seen them here but the ranch I stayed on about 100 miles north had thousands of them on the front porch at night in July.
Something else I am in great fear of.

SeanInVa · June 29, 2019

We get them no matter where we grow. And they hit hard and fast. The new plot went from no sign of bugs, to seeing maybe 1, then seeing at least 10 patches of eggs to now seeing hundreds of the little nymphs. I've taken to just "clapping" the leaf where they are to squish as many as I can at one time. I did spray sevin spray on the squash this year back in May (twice). First year I've ever used it. It held them off until recently.

Planted a newer plant about 150 ft away and it's getting hit as well.

Kind of surprised this is the first year you've had them!

jtjmartin · June 29, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanInVa

We get them no matter where we grow. And they hit hard and fast. The new plot went from no sign of bugs, to seeing maybe 1, then seeing at least 10 patches of eggs to now seeing hundreds of the little nymphs. I've taken to just "clapping" the leaf where they are to squish as many as I can at one time. I did spray sevin spray on the squash this year back in May (twice). First year I've ever used it. It held them off until recently.

Planted a newer plant about 150 ft away and it's getting hit as well.

Kind of surprised this is the first year you've had them!

I am surprised I've never seen them! I've had squash vine borer every state I've gardened in, Colorado potato beetles but never squash bugs with nymphs - at least to the point I had to treat them with anything!

I'm the only garden in my neighborhood with a lot of woods around us.

I'm surprised I have bacterial wilt so bad!

Jeff

June 27, 2019	#1
jtjmartin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Williamsburg VA Zone 7b Posts: 1,110	Squash Bug Control I was away for 9 days - I came back to 100s of squash bug nymphs, eggs and adults. I've dealt with squash vine borers every year I've gardened - but never squash bugs! Eggs - I've tried masking tape, but its quicker just to tear the egg clusters off. Anything I can apply to the eggs to kill them? Nymphs - Boy, they are great at hiding under leaves. I think I have most of them through using pyrethrin and spinosad. Both of these were a lot more effective once I thinned out damaged and old leaves. Any other tips? Adults - (same as nymphs) I also smush them or drop them in soapy water when I catch them. Other controls, tips, moral support ?

June 28, 2019	#2
yardn_gardn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Central Idaho at 3200 elev. in zone 5b, maybe 100 frost free days Posts: 77	This is mainly going to be moral support, but I have notice that being very careful about removing the vines and destroying them at the end of the season is helpful. Sometimes I rototill in the fall if not removing and burning if possible. I also noticed that when I mulch the plants with straw or bark, spiders seem to offer some predatory control. Good luck, squash bugs are awful. __________________ Happy garden trails, Dawn

June 28, 2019	#4
LK2016 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Northeast USA Posts: 68	I had a terrible infestation of squash bugs last year. I found that if I watered, they run upwards so you can see them, and then I sprayed them with a mixture of dish soap and water, which killed them instantly.

June 28, 2019	#5
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	I read somewhere that they would hide under a board if you put one near your plants but it didn't work for me. I used small pieces of 2x4's but if I would try it again I might use something thinner and wider and make sure that it was moist underneath.

June 28, 2019	#6
JerryHaskins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Mississippi Posts: 166	https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...spray-32-fl-oz

June 28, 2019	#8
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I killed three this morning when I watered my squash. Used my handy spray bottle with Permethrin and soapy water and sprayed them individually as they crawled up the leaf stems after I watered. I didn't see my first one until about 10 days ago and since then have seen and killed about a dozen and found a few egg patches also. Bill

June 29, 2019	#10
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	A 12 gauge shotgun! Levity. Almost everything else discussed here helps. I'm not sure about those boards either - I tried and it didn't work. The "Squash Bugs" actually like cucurbits which includes cucumber, melon, pumpkin, squash, and Zucchini. You could find squash bugs on any of these plants. I'm speaking from frustrated experience. Moral Support: Last year, I did grow three 5 gallon buckets of three plants each squash and Zucchini on the opposite side of our house from the infected garden. There were no squash bugs and the squash produced heavily. I'm going to try it again this fall. I have a lot of thoughts on this, but thoughts are like opinions in-a-way. I would rather write from experience.

June 29, 2019	#11
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The dreaded kissing bug. Been in fear of them all my life. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...61891524137781 http://www.nbcdfw.com/investigations...345192802.html

June 29, 2019	#14
SeanInVa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Gloucester, Virginia Posts: 90	We get them no matter where we grow. And they hit hard and fast. The new plot went from no sign of bugs, to seeing maybe 1, then seeing at least 10 patches of eggs to now seeing hundreds of the little nymphs. I've taken to just "clapping" the leaf where they are to squish as many as I can at one time. I did spray sevin spray on the squash this year back in May (twice). First year I've ever used it. It held them off until recently. Planted a newer plant about 150 ft away and it's getting hit as well. Kind of surprised this is the first year you've had them!