Are squash bugs wreaking havoc on your cucurbits? These pesky critters can easily decimate a garden if left unchecked. Fortunately, with the right methods and understanding, you can effectively control their populations and protect your squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and other cucurbit crops. In this comprehensive guide, I share twelve organic treatments to help you manage these notorious pests.
Check out the video version of this guide here:
What Are Squash Bugs?
Before diving into the treatment methods, it is crucial to understand the enemy. Squash bugs are similar in appearance to leaf-footed bugs and stink bugs, with long, thick legs and hard shells featuring a stripe-like pattern at the rim. This hard shell makes them resistant to many spray treatments.
Female squash bugs lay clusters of about 20 eggs on the underside of cucurbit leaves. These bronze or reddish eggs hatch in approximately ten days, transitioning through several stages from tiny green nymphs to bluish-gray nymphs with black legs, and finally into adult squash bugs within 4-6 weeks. Adults can live up to 130 days provided there is enough food. Squash bugs feed by sucking plant juices, transferring toxic saliva that can lead to wilting, disease, and plant death. With multiple generations capable of breeding in warmer climates, squash bugs can rapidly overrun a garden if not managed.
Organic Treatment #1: Hand Pick Adults & Drop In A Bucket Of Soapy Water
This labor-intensive method is highly effective. Wear some gloves if you like, and manually pick squash bugs off plants. Then drop them into a bucket of soapy water to prevent escape.
Pro Tip - Watering the ground around cucurbit plants can make squash bugs flee and climb up the vines, making them easier to find and remove.
Organic Treatment #2: Vacuum Up The Adults & Nymphs
A more enjoyable method involves using a hand vacuum to collect squash bugs. After vacuuming, dump the bugs into a bucket of soapy water. This method can be particularly fun for children. And no worries, squash bugs do not bite or sting humans.
Organic Treatment #3: Remove Eggs with Squishing or Duct Tape
Squash bug eggs are easy to identify. They are found on the underside of the leaves and look like a cluster of shiny bronze eggs. They can be removed by squishing or using duct tape. Regular inspection of plants and egg removal can significantly disrupt their life cycle.
Organic Treatment #4: Spray Nymphs with Spinosad
Spinosad, an organic treatment, is effective against soft-bodied nymphs. It is not effective against adults, so watering the ground to expose nymphs and then spraying is recommended. Get spinosad from Amazon HERE.
Organic Treatment #5: Plant Blue Hubbard Squash as a Trap Crop
Planting Blue Hubbard squash can attract squash bugs away from other cucurbit plants, making them easier to manage. This method involves planting the trap crop at the garden's edges to lure adults upon their spring emergence.
Organic Treatment #6: Grow Squash During Low Pest Pressure Seasons
Planting during spring or fall can reduce squash bug infestations as they peak during the summer. This strategy also helps in avoiding high disease prevalence associated with hot seasons.
Organic Treatment #7: Choose Tough Squash Cultivars
Not all squash plants are the same. Choose to grow cultivars in the Cucurbita moschata or Cucurbita argyrosperma groups because they have thicker stems and tougher leaves, making them less susceptible to squash bug damage.
Organic Treatment #8: Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder that cuts up soft-bodied insects but must be reapplied after rain or watering. It is only effective against soft bodied squash bug nymphs.
Get the same diatomaceous eart I use from Amazon HERE.
Organic Treatment #9: Plant Squash Over Black Weed Blocking Material
Using weed blocking material can reduce squash bug habitats around plants, thus lowering infestations. I noticed they like to live in debris and mulch so by putting down a layer of weed blocker material, they are less likely to live near squash plants.
Get the same weed blocker material I use from Amazon HERE.
Organic Treatment #10: Plant Squash Bug Deterring Crops and Herbs
Strong-smelling plants like marigolds is said to mask squash plants' scent, making them harder for squash bugs to locate.
List of plants that mask the smell of veggie crops: catnip, tansy, radishes, nasturtiums, marigolds, bee balm, onions, calendula, basil, and mint.
Organic Treatment #11: Attract Natural Predators
Birds, parasitic wasps, and parasitic flies are natural squash bug predators. Gardeners can attract these beneficial insects by providing bird feeders, water baths, bird houses, and planting nectar-rich flowers.
List of plants that attract parasitic wasps: Yarrow, Queen Anne's lace, zinnias, cosmos, allium, statice, Alyssum, cilantro, dill, fennel, daisies, asters, buckwheat, partridge pea, and tansy.
List of plants that attract parasitic flies: Carrots, Dill, Fennel, Parsley, Queen Ann's Lace, Yarrow, Asters, Chamomile, Feverfew, Ox-eye daisy, and Shasta daisy.
Organic Treatment #12: Use Pyrethrin-Based Treatments as a Last Resort
While pyrethrin treatments are organic, they are non-discriminatory and can harm beneficial insects. Only apply to affected plants, do not spray flowers, and spray in the evening so the product is dry before pollinators return the next morning.
Find the same pyrethrin treatment I use on Amazon HERE.
By understanding the life cycle of squash bugs and using a combination of these organic treatment methods, gardeners can effectively manage these pests and ensure successful harvests.