What kind of bug is this on my zucchini plants?

[gumpsgirl]

I've only found them on my zucchini plants and I'm worried they are killing my plants. Two plants have died so far. I sprayed them with Organocide yesterday, but a few plants still have these bugs. Any ideas what they are and how I can eradicate them if they are harmful to my plants?

Here's the adult.

These are the babies hatched out of brown eggs that were on the leaves.

 

[me&thegals]

I don't know the entire life cycle of hte stinkbug, but those babies look just like it and the adult photo looks like the adolescent stinkbug. They get larger, harder and brown-gray. They suck the juice out of the plants and make them wilt and die. I crush every one I see and smush the eggs under the leaves.

 

[gumpsgirl]

That makes sense! I've been on pins and needles thinking I was in for the borer worm again and then these things started to hatch. :/ I have two little boys (well, they are 13 and 11 so not really to little anymore!) that I am sending to the garden right now to squish them all!

Thanks!

 

[me&thegals]

Ahhh.... kids.... Those lovely little creatures who keep us gardening organically with all their bug-squishing and catching magic

 

[gumpsgirl]

Yep! They are wonderful to have around, aren't they?!?!

 

[Augustmomx2]

Great pics! I have no idea what type of bugs those are, but hopefully you get rid of them soon.

 

[Greenthumb18]

I'm not sure what it is either, never seen it in the garden before. But i suspect its not a beneficial bug, hope it doesnt harm your crop.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Take a look at this site. The one in your first photo is not an adult but an adolescent. They have to be a close relative of the stink bug. The adults have the same shape and they do stink some when you crush them or they gather in large numbers.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/M1208.html

Look for copper colored eggs in lines on the leaves. The literature says they are under the leaves but I also find them on the top sides of leaves and on the stems. I'd try to crush the eggs too, not just the bugs.

The are a lot of eggs and nymphs on my summer squash, winter squash and zucchini. I have not seen them on my cukes. If you can't keep them picked off they slow your production and will eventually kill your plant. The nymphs and grown bugs are a little slow so you can catch them, but when the nymphs fall off the leaf they are hard to find.

Good luck with them. You can still get a good harvest but your life just got a little harder.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Thank you Ridgerunner! That is exactly what the bugs I have in the garden are! My boys went down yesterday and squished some, but didn't get all of them. I will go down there with a pail of soapy water here in a bit and start knocking the bugs off into the water. Hopefully I can rid my plants of these pests!

Thanks again!

 

[hikerchick]

A little off topic but nice photos! You must have a nice camera.