How To Kill Squash Bugs

~How To Kill Squash Bugs, Squash Bug Eggs, and Nymphs~

Most of us who are growing a garden right now can commiserate with one another over persistent problem of squash bugs (otherwise known as leaf-footed beetles or stink bugs) ravaging our summer squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and winter squash.

Until now, we've been doing one on one battle with the adults. And it's not an easy battle to win. For the gardener growing organically, rather naturally (not wanting to use even organic pesticides to upset the natural balance of the soil or inadvertently harm the beneficial insect population) this means lots of picking and squishing or drowning of the adults.

But the tables are about to turn and our problem is about to grow exponentially because it's hatching season.

The few wily ones that have outwitted us have been laying their beautiful, jewel-like, golden or ruby eggs on the underside of the host plants leaves and they are getting ready to hatch. In fact, where yesterday there were none, today I found several batches had hatched.

{Eggs & Nymphs}

Last year, I picked the eggs off with fingernails, getting the eggs stuck under there and often tearing the leaves in the process. My plan for this year was to be on the look out for the soft-bodied nymphs and squish them as they hatched.

But this morning while chopping potatoes for frying to serve with some scrambled eggs, I finished up listening to a Farm Dreams podcast I had started and Liz mentioned that she managed the eggs with a roll of duct tape.

I dropped my oily spoon and ran for the barn, grabbed the duct tape, and headed to the garden where I experienced for myself the genius of this idea.

I've saved my plants this morning from literally hundreds of these little monsters and myself from hours of picking! It was truly shocking- and the ones on the pumpkins in with the corn... I would never have found all of those nymphs. Not in a million years. I feel like I may have stopped this cycle dead in its tracks with less than an hour's work. 

A few things to note:

-It is trickier to get the eggs when they have been laid in a corner of the large veins, so I got what I could and the few remaining I picked off with a fingernail. 

-Be gentle. Some of the pumpkins had soft leaves and a bit of the leaf came off with the eggs. Not much and not often. 

-If you see a squash beetle adult, nab her! I tapped the tape to her back and she was stuck. I folded the tape piece around her and she wasn't going anywhere. 

-Ditto for the cucumber beetles. If you happen to see one of them, tap it on their back. I think that's the quickest way I've dealt with those guys so far. 

{Adults}

Until now, the most successful way that I've managed our infestation was to mist down the plants with a little peppermint oil diluted in a sprayer of water. It acts more of a temporary repellent and you have to do it frequently to give your plants a fighting chance. 

But this weekend,  On The Old Path shared on her Facebook page a link showing how to kill the squash bugs (and perhaps the cucumber beetles) dead on the spot using a biodegradable detergent dish soap. The soap works by suffocating the beetle within moments. It worked wonderfully for the squash bugs, not so much for the cucumber beetles,  but that's ok because I prefer to remove the beetle from the plant before spraying it to make certain that the plant isn't affected in any way and cucumber beetles will fly before allowing that to happen. 

One word of warning with both of those methods, I have had plants suspiciously turn grey, wilt, and die the day after spraying. What was odd was that while one was affected, the other plants weren't. Another reason to remove the adults before spraying with dish soap. 

The most successful way the Lord has been managing our infestation is by means of spiders (the garden is full of them!), toads, and frogs!!

Of the 4 acorn squash that sprouted, 2 have survived until yesterday from the destruction of these pests. One I was having to manage with sprays until it was discovered grey & wilted this morning which leaves us with just one.

And it was under that one large beautiful acorn squash plant that I found a toad the size of a baseball! He was getting fat on all these beetles!

Then yesterday while searching for cucumbers who should I see peeking at me from the middle of the trellis, but a bullfrog. How glad I am that we put in the pond which encouraged their breeding and next time one of the kids brings me a toad discovery, I'll be having them tuck him under the hay mulch next to a zucchini plant!

I feel that with a little diligence, my squash plants just may have a fighting chance this year! And I hope that yours will now too!

How is your squash beetle war going this year?