Squash Bug WAR!

[desertlady]

I dont have problems with squash bugs YET! But I was wondering do they hibernate in the ground? Maybe after fall, spray garden good with pest pray. I dont know the answer for it Just a thought..

 

[jhook1997]

I don't have any great suggestions. Squash bugs are hard. They don't eat the plant but suck the juice, so spraying the plant with something that kills bugs that eat the insecticide does not work. A contact insecticide will, but they are really good at hiding from that spray when you are spraying, and when it dries, it does not contact them. The adults are more resistant than the nymphs to contact sprays.

I've tried skipping a year in growing squash. It did not help. I've tried all the "companion" planting things. Did not help. I've tried putting boards down and attacking them before daylight. Not much success really. They also hide under leaves and other stuff. I've tried squishing eggs daily and killing any adults I find. That helped a little, but as soon as you see the nymphs, that approach is over for me. It's then just a matter of time. I think they live and reproduce on other plants in the enviromnment (weeds), not just the stuff I plant so they will always be here. I can usually get about two to three weeks worth of production of zucchini or yellow squash before they kill mine.

Really pessimistic I know. Sorry!

Sounds familiar! I think I'll try the water spraying and chicken combination.

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I heard of using duct tape to get the eggs off of the leaves.

 

[vfem]

I can't believe this year we were squash bug free. I'm thrilled... had some on the swiss chard, and then one day they were gone and haven't see any since.

Maybe it was the massive amount of birds we had, or that we have very few squash plants... but I have to say we were blessed.

If I figure out what it actually was that kept them away, I'll let you in on the secret.