Squash bug war

[AllyRodrigues]

Unfortunately no! But he has gotten 4, and believe it or not, we haven't seen any more. Since he's anxious for garage sale money, though, he looks for them every afternoon.

You can certainly tell as soon as they are on the plant, though, because it goes downhill very quickly!

 

[Kassaundra]

ONLY 4!!!! I would be dancing a happy dance if I only got 4, I'd be doing a happy dance if I only got 40. How many squash plants do you have?

 

[annageckos]

catjac ............ NOT A PROBLEM!!!!!!!! what planet do they live on????

I guess I am lucky. I have lots of pumpkins, cucumbers and zucchini. I have seen squash bugs (and those stupid stink bugs that are everywhere) but they haven't killed any of my plants yet. Overall, for me, they aren't a big problem, but I do kill them on sight.

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I've lost the war. My zucchini and yellow squash were reduced to piles of dead and dying leaves and a few cucumber plants turned yellow and lost most leaves. I gave up and pulled them. When I did a whole stream of the darn bugs came pouring out of the hole in the ground.
Luckily the season is long enough here that I can plant more in a different area of the garden.

 

[Kassaundra]

I'm sorry, did you kill the ones in that location???? I've lost a few plants but still have the majority of the squash, most of the ones I lost were the volunteer winter squash. The drought may do me in before the squash bugs.

 

[Kassaundra]

Is anyone else getting a rash from the squash plants?

My right arm, the one I squish most of the squash bugs w/ is total rash (cross between poison ivy and hives) from my elbow to my fingers. I know it is from the squash plants. I am now tending my squash plants w/ long sleeves and medical gloves, not fun w/ 105 degree days.

 

[lesa]

Those leaves really bother my skin too... they are kind of scratchy and my arms are itchy for awhile after I mess with them. Borage also does this to me...

 

[Kassaundra]

Those leaves really bother my skin too... they are kind of scratchy and my arms are itchy for awhile after I mess with them. Borage also does this to me...

It's been over 3 days since I last touched a squash leaf and I'm still broke out and itching, just hoping I don't have to take steroids to get rid of it.

 

[lesa]

Have you tried taking something like benedryl (or the allergy med of your choice?)

 

[Kassaundra]

Not yet, they all knock me out cold, and then give me a hangover forever. So I've been giving it time w/o any further exposure and see if that will work first. I have much hx w/ allergies and have all kinds of meds around to tx them but try and only use them as the last resort (except in emergency or big allergies) I think it is ironic that both my birth parents have no allergies at all not even hayfever, but my two siblings and I have major allergies. (food, meds, insects and air)