Solving the Squash Bug dilemma...for good!

[Carol Dee]

I hate those darn things.

Me too

 

[Zeedman]

We had almost no problem with squash bugs last summer. But DH moved where he planted zucs, cucumbers and pumpkins. His mistake was planting them in same space this summer. UGH the bugs won. View attachment 33071

That photo made me want to drive down there, spray bottle in hand... but it looks like the plants are already toast. Still, it wouldn't hurt to kill the brood before they can hibernate.

 

[Carol Dee]

That photo made me want to drive down there, spray bottle in hand... but it looks like the plants are already toast. Still, it wouldn't hurt to kill the brood before they can hibernate.

My thought exactly. Please suggest what your 1st choice to zap them is.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

If the plants are toast a propane torch works for me.

 

[Zeedman]

My all-purpose bug spray, per quart bottle, is:
- About 1/3 rubbing alcohol
- A generous amount of soap (if using insecticidal soap). Adding the soap after the alcohol prevents or reduces foaming. Insecticidal soap is safest for plants, but I find a squirt of dish soap helps if using the oil below.
- 1/3 water
- A tablespoon of cooking oil. Shake vigorously at this point to emulsify the oil.
- A tablespoon of syrup; pancake or corn syrup. Shake vigorously again to dissolve.
- fill remainder of bottle with water, shake vigorously, and kill bugs.

This is a contact spray, is safe around children, and kills just about anything, provided that coverage is complete. The alcohol temporarily paralyzes the bugs, the soap acts as a wetting agent & asphyxiant, and the oil & syrup clog the spiracles to prevent recovery. Today a yellow jacket was buzzing my face, and a quick spray knocked it out of the air... a second spray on the ground killed it. I am presently using it mostly on stray Japanese beetles (those that escape the traps), wasp nests in risky locations, and on orb spiders that like to spin their webs between my trellises (and across my front door). DW uses it on her roses, to control caterpillars.

It will easily kill hoards of squash bugs (or around my house, box elder bugs).

The spray works well on aphids too, but I'm careful to inspect for beneficial larvae before using it for that purpose.

 

[Carol Dee]

Thanks @Zeedman and @Dirtmechanic The spray sounds good for most of the season but these plants are already toast. I may be burning the area now.

 

[ducks4you]

Bugs for Growers: Five beneficial insects that control the Squash Bug | Bugs for Growers
http://blog.bugsforgrowers.com/squash-bug/five-beneficial-insects-that-control-the-squash-bug/

Now THIS:
"Therefore, if you want to have presence of more of these beneficial insects in your organic garden, you need to plant specific types of attractive plants that will serve as food source for their adults to hang around in your garden. For example, the adult feather-legged flies that parasitize and kill the squash bugs in your organic garden are attracted to plants such as carrot, dill and parsley.
"The dill plant"

Dill flowers can attract both predatory and parasitic insects to your organic garden

The predatory bigeyed bugs are attracted to sunflowers whereas damsel bugs are attracted alfalfa, clover and radish flowers."
is VERY helpful!! Thanks! I ALWAYS have radish going to flower Someplace in my gardens, I try to plant carrots every year, and this year I am harvesting sunflower seeds.
I had some squash bugs this year, just enough to kill off the one pumpkin that grew. Still, got one fruit out of it, and a quart jar full of seeds from 2 years ago. Might harvest the seeds from this year, too and overplant in 2020.

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

I no longer have a problem with SB and SVB which I attribute to good weeding and the chickens inn the garden.. As for row covers. I did not leave them on all season. When they were large I removed them for pollinating. That was quite some years ago. I swear by the chickens in the garden for the winter.

My chickens actually ate most of the insects around our farm. I guess they really act as a natural repellent.. nature at its finest.. I guess..

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

Thanks. GTK vet wrap comes in fashionable colors to go with any outfit.

Be careful with those though.. I heard that they are prone to rabbits. And that's a nasty infection to have.. Be cautious...

 

[YourRabbitGirl]

i do that too, but figured that if the ducks are there and eating them they're not going to get away very far...

i did find out that JB's need to be drowned for a pretty long time to kill them. they go dormant and look dead, but they're not...

For a homemade squash bug spray, pour a small amount of liquid Castile soap into a spray bottle and fill the bottle with water. Spray the affected plants in the morning, directing the spray at the base of the plant and the undersides of the leaves.