Squash Bugs And Your Garden
by John Yazo
Squash bugs are common in North America. They primarily like squash and pumpkins but will attack other cucurbits like cucumbers.They are easily mistaken for the stinkbug. They look very similar and when crushed have both have a distinct odor.Early detection is very important. When in the adult stage they are very difficult to control.
The adult squash bug is about 5/8 of and inch long and about 1/3 of an inch wide, dark gray to dark brown in color and orange brown alternating strips on its abdomen. There eggs are about 1/16 of an inch long, yellow to bronze in color and elliptical in shape.
Squash bugs go through five stages called instars before coming adults. The nymphs are 1/10 to 1/2 inch in length as they progress through the stages. When a nymph hatches it is light green in color with a black head and legs. As the nymphs grow toward the adult stage they first turn to a light gray color and progressively turn to a brown gray color with black legs and antennas.
Over the winter the squash bug finds shelter in plant debris and under rocks. In the spring they emerge, feed off cucurbit plants and mate. The female lays about twenty small eggs individually in a cluster on the underside of plant leaves. They lay there eggs from about mid June through mid summer. There eggs hatch in about ten days and mature into adults in about four to six weeks.
The damage that a squash bug preforms to plants is done by sucking the sap out of the plants. They have a mouth piece that pierces into the leaf. Signs of damage show as wilting leaves. The squash bug is unlike the cucumber beetle in that it doesn't transmit disease to the plants. It is very important to control squash bugs when plants are young and tender. Mature plants can tolerate some squash bug damage a lot better.
Organic insect control and having a good healthy organic soil structure full of life is the best method to keeping the squash bug under control. During the winter months the squash bug will bore into the soil to overwinter. Beneficial nematodes that live in the soil will help control the population before they get out of hand in the spring. Another method is to plant a late season trap crop for the to feed off before the end of the growing season so you can destroy them before the overwinter in your garden soil.
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