Squash Bug Blues

[RedClayGardener]

Hello!

I am looking for an organic preferably homemade control for squash bug. I have tried soapy water but it doesn't seem to have an effect on the little monsters. Right now the infestation is not serious, but I am told they get much worse if unchecked.

Any ideas?

There is a picture of them here: http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef314.asp

thanks!

 

[robbobbin]

I'd say pick them off and squeesh them, but that was before I saw the picture...eewwww!

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Oily, soapy, sugary water might work though.

Take a cup of peanut, safflower, soybean, or sunflower oil with 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap (do not use anti-bacterial soaps). Mix 1-1/2 teaspoons of the oil-soap mix in a cup of water. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Mix well and spray. This will work best when it comes into direct contact with the squash bugs. Do not spray on very sunny days as this may burn leaves. Best to apply in the am then wash off later in the afternoon.

Using small boards at the base of your plants may help too. At night the squash bugs like to congregate there and hide. Come out with a flashlight or in the very very early morning and squash or spray them there.

It's very important to get rid of the eggs on the underside of the leaves. The above mix will work for those as well minus the sugar. The sugar helps suffocate the squash bugs. Gruesome, I know.

 

[theOEGBman]

We call em Stink Bugs! When we were younger, my grandma would smush them with her fingers and let us sniff em! They definitely stink, but we always just smush them with our fingers. But you have to find them first, so I'd go with what Carlos said!

 

[RedClayGardener]

Thanks everyone for your help! I will try the spray. It is funny, the OEGBman that you mentioned that they were called stink bugs. I remember those from when I was a kid. I never knew they were the same bug though. Thanks again!

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

They are both in the same family (Heteroptera) and do look very much the same but the squash bug is Coreidae sp. and the stink bug is Pentatomidae sp..

 

[SewingDiva]

We call em Stink Bugs! When we were younger, my grandma would smush them with her fingers and let us sniff em! They definitely stink, but we always just smush them with our fingers. But you have to find them first, so I'd go with what Carlos said!

No wonder my chickens won't eat them! They are the only type they won't touch.

~Phyllis