Comments on: Squash Bugs; a Recurring Garden Nightmare

By: Peggy

Peggy — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 23:41:29 +0000

I started early in the year checking for squash bugs. It is now the second week of July and I am still killing squash bugs. And removing leaves with eggs on th em. I have found them on ever kind of squash zuchinni, butternut, acorn and patty pan. I have lost a couple of plants I am guessing from the squash bugs. I have gotten a few zuchinni, more patty pan and I have several butternut that are not quite ready. I have used 7 dust, neem oil and dawn dish soap 1 Tbs with a gallon of water. The soap will kill the bugs when you spray it on them. I don’t know if spraying the plants with the soapy water will kill anything. I think the bug itself has to be sprayed. I have decided this will be my last year of planting squash. Hunting these bugs is exausting and time consuming. I will buy my squash at the store.

By: Yuriy

Yuriy — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:28:07 +0000

If only a few plants are affected, it is most effective to hand pick and destroy squash bugs and eggs. Another option is to place boards or shingles on the ground next to the plants. At night the squash bugs will aggregate under the boards and can then be destroyed each morning. Using resistant varieties such as Butternut, Royal Acorn, or Sweet Cheese and maintaining a healthy plant through proper fertilization and watering are also important to limiting squash bug damage.

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:13:17 +0000

When all the other varieties of squash I planted this year have died, my seminole pumpkin plants are still going strong in late August. The squash bugs don’t seem to like these.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:58:44 +0000

What other forms of squash are NOT preferred by Squash bugs.

By: Cynthia

Cynthia — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:27:11 +0000

I have found that the Waltham Butternut seems to have less of a problem with squash bugs, so it is the only one I grow now.

Anyone tried wood ashes, dusted lightly on the leaves?

By: littlem

littlem — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:39:50 +0000

Thanks for solving our pest problem! Very timely... Pest Detective

By: kookster

kookster — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:16:00 +0000

“Start by learning to identify the squash bug’s eggs which are usually laid on the undersides of plant leaves.”

I think you’re touching on something very important here. It seems a lot of pests like to lay their eggs/hide on the underside of leaves until it’s too late.

Something I haven’t done enough is to be diligent in checking under leaves of my plants. I guess I’m a little afraid of flipping a leaf over and having some enormous bug jump at me and bite my face. haha..no seriously I should be checking under my leaves more.

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:32:37 +0000

Great post! Thanks for this useful information on such an aggravating problem.