new crop of squash bug babies

[bj taylor]

I had gone through my cucurbits killing any bugs I could find and looking & removing any eggs I could find. I thought I had gotten through their life cycle & I was in the clear. this morning I find newly hatched babies concentrated on one plant in one section. spent quite awhile cutting leaves, stems & scraping the ground around plant trying to remove as much as I could. I looked at other plants. no sign. I don't know if my cucurbits are destined to be ruined again or not. the cucumbers are just starting to put on & I have a nice winter squash coming. my fingers are crossed.

 

[baymule]

Good luck. I hope they are done with you. I think we get the added bonus of infinite life cycles of those durned things. I replanted yellow crookneck, zucchini, and white Lebanese, they are on their second set of leaves. Yesterday I saw a red and black scourge buzzing about them and I screamed at the stupid insect, "They're just BABIES, leave them alone!" Glad no one was out in their front yard to wonder what the crazy garden lady was referring to........

But on a brighter note, the Trombincino is being assaulted by borers, but the vines just swell up and go around the damage. I have them trellised on cow panels, but am trailing vines down to the ground to re-root and then go back up the trellis. Tromboncino is definitely a do-over next year!

Wish me luck on round two!

 

[digitS']

This is a rather scholarly look at the research done on trap crops for cucumber beetles, BJ.

http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/cache/arl02957.htm#traps

The author also looks at traps, themselves. I guess that using squash blossoms is what can be used . . . but anyway, I don't see cucumber beetle traps in the catalogs.

The trap crops are ones that are irresistible to the beetles - and then, they are sprayed. The author talks about different varieties and the question of using ground to grow something that won't be harvested. Finally, about whether they can survive some damage long enuf to prove valuable in a trap crop scheme.

Steve