Here is a collection of ways to control squash bugs in your garden that have a mission to destroy your vegetables. Squash bugs attack squash, pumpkins and even cucumbers. The most important times to control squash bugs are when the plants are young seedlings and when they are flowering.
Squash bugs become active in warm days during late spring and move to germinating squash. Squash bugs feeding method is described as ‘lacerate and flush’ is quite destructive. Cells around the feeding site are destroyed and with multiple feeding punctures areas of the leaf or stems may collapse and no longer move water. This produces wilting, which may rapidly and frequently result in the death of the whole plant.
Remove or knock off and kill nymphs and adults by dropping them into a pail of soapy water. This is particularly effective if only a few plants are affected. This can be challenging because squash bugs hide under leaves and move quickly when disturbed.
This insect can be very difficult to control when populations are allowed to build.
Get in the habit looking on the underside of your squash plants for the shiny, yellowish brown to reddish eggs sort of like tiny like footballs.
