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How to kill squash bugs
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Posted by
macheske VA (
My Page) on
Sun, Jul 29, 07 at 13:24
| How do I effectively kill squash bugs? An organic solution is preferred but I'm not opposed to use chemicals if organics are not effective. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| Put on gloves, have a small container of water with some dish soap and start picking them and putting them in the water to drown. |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| Here is a link to several discussions on them including organic controls. Just scroll down to the posts with the blue frames. Good luck. Dave |
Here is a link that might be useful: Squash bug controls
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| I have a section 25 x 15 feet of solid vines. Uh.. |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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Soap bucket is good.
Or Use duct tape (or any tape) like fly paper to stick to them. Probably better to get the eggs with tape BEFORE they hatch. Stick it on the eggs pull it off. Kinda like waxing? Both are time consuming but very effective AND very organic. Good Luck,
Gumby_CT |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| It's too late for the standard organic controls of row covers and in an area that large your best organic bet then is likely spraying with Neem oil or using diatomaceous earth. But it is only somewhat effective. You will also need to do egg patrols and hand-picking to insure a good degree of control. Soap spray (1 T of liquid soap in 1 gallon of water) sprayed directly on the bugs (not the leaves and never in the heat of day) will also help. Some also recommend the use of a rotennone or permethrin based product but I have no personal experience with them so cant say how effective they are on SB. Others will know more about them. If you decide to give up on the organic approach then it is the pesticide of your choice but insure that it specifies squash bugs. Good luck. Dave |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| If you don't have a lot of plants.... My favorite method...I can't believe Dave (digdirt) didn't mention it. Spray all parts of the plants with your waterhose once a day....give em a nice shower. Wait a few minutes and watch as the squash bugs come to dry out on the tops of the leaves. Pluck and drown in soapy water. It's so rewarding! I haven't seen a squash bug in a week but I have plucked as many as 15-20 in a day if I don't stay on top of it.
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RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| sounds like more work than the tape thingy |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| Just have to suggest planting tansy among your squash/pumpkins to repel squash bugs. I used fern-leaf tansy, which smells kind of like eucalyptus, and have had great results. It does tend to spread, but I just pull up and transplant to other areas. It is the best companion plant I've found so far in terms of repelling insects. |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| "sounds like more work than the tape thingy" I don't think so. What? 10-15 minutes a week?? |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| Sorry Peggy, my post was intended for Wayne and I should have indicated that. He does have alot of plants. ;) 25 x 15 feet of solid vines I hand pick too but that sounds like too many plants for hand pickin'. *grin* Dave |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| Yes...definitely not practical for Wayne:) |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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When Killing squash bugs last year, I just filled a
spray bottle with soapy water, and sprayed. They died
within a few minutes. I have them again this year.
Unfortunately they are doing a number on my zucchini. mary
z 5b KS |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| The soap water really works you have to try it because they do start falling off the plants. I just tried it today 8/29/08. It really works trust me. You ad soap I don't think it matters what kind but i used dawn. you put about 1/4 inch of soap in to a small squirt bottle then fill the rest up with water "DO NOT SHAKE UP". Then go out there and spray the bugs they will start dying after a few minutes. |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| Thank you Gumby for the duct tape idea, I just got back from using that method in the garden and I must have gotten 200 eggs. I usually just pop them between my fingernails but it would harm the leaf quite a bit in the process. This is a gentle, no fuss option. Thank you!! |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| I used a spray bottle with 2 Tablespoons of Euchaliptus oil and water. It seems that they don't like the odor. |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| Checked my zucchini plants today and leaves were absolutely covered with squash bugs. I use Ortho Max Flower, Fruit and Vegetable spray. Kills over 100 different types of bugs and absolutely does not harm your plants. I keep it handy for my peach and plum trees, my hibiscus plants, meyer lemon, roses, tomato plants, etc. Great stuff! |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| Here is what I do. I take water and spray te under sides of the leaves, around the roots and even some of the other leaves (cukes, etc) just to bring them out into the open. This we know. Next get a vacuum. I have a shop vac. Turn the sucker on and shhhup shhhup shhhup (this is the sound of little bugs heading down to a pit of h***!) Then I dump the little guys into a bock trash bag rift away, tie, and dump in my garbage can! Note: I had wood shavings in there which sticks To their wet little bodies. :) |
RE: How to kill squash bugs
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| Def. the best method for me is watering, waiting for a bit then going on the attack. Squishing them is gratifying but man oh man do these things stink! Very powerful odor (which is why some call them stink bugs). They aren't fast and hardly move while you move in for the kill. I have them on my pumpkins and zuchinni. Also, checking for eggs every few days limits their numbers, I just pinch off the offending leaf and chuck it in the trash. They lay 100's of eggs, so check every leaf if possible. Much easy to kill off 100s at a time then to wait for the hatch. I've done it this year and am down to maybe one or two a day to kill. You have to be vigilant, however. Check every single day. Miss a week and your squash will suffer! |
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