Adult squash bugs are 1/2" to 3/4" brown, green, or black, flat, shield-shaped insects with a triagular shape on the back. They usually have a light colored outlind on the abdomen.
Adults lay brown or red eggs on leaves. Young bugs are greenish gray with red legs. The nymphs are usually on the undersides of leaves on the upper part of the plant. Adults hibernate in garden debris left lying around. During the pest season, adults are found near the stems where they lay the egg masses.
Symptoms of infestation include wilted leaves, blackened leaves, and possibly dried up leaves.
Vulnerable plants include cucumbers, canteloupes, pumpkins, squash, and watermelon.
Control methods include barriers such as a row cover or netting, preventive insecticidal soap (organic prefered) mixed with seaweed extract, rotenone dust, handpicking, sabadilla dust, fall cleanup, traps using boards where bugs hide during the day, and woood ashes sprinkled around the plant but not too close to the stem. This pest won't crawl over the ashes.
An old standby is to attract birds and turtles as well as parasitic wasps. Plant resistant varieties and use intercropping companions.
Loose mulches like hay or straw harbor this pest so if you have an infestation, use black plastic mulch or compost mulch.
 |
 |
Go To Page: 1
