Kill Those Stinking Squash Bugs!
There’s nothing better than harvesting fresh vegetables from your own garden. And there’s nothing more infuriating than never getting to harvest any vegetables because some low-down, mean, contemptible, savage, un-Christian, good-for-nothing bug or critter beat you to it!
With that thought in mind, here’s an urgent dispatch from Dolly.
“Do you know of any method to control/eradicate squash bugs? These things are uncontrollable.”
Well, gosh, Dolly, if that were true, there’d be no reason to email the Grump. Fortunately, squash bugs can be controlled if you’ll follow his expert and brilliant advice.
Clean Up the Garden
The key to controlling squash bugs is to interrupt their life cycle, because there is only one generation per year. Adult females overwinter in plant debris, then emerge in spring to lay clusters of reddish brown eggs on the undersides of squash, cucumber, melon, gourd, and pumpkin leaves. You can reduce their numbers by removing all vines, leaves, and other plant debris from the soil surface in late fall and destroying it. Burn it if would make you feel better. (Immolating loathsome pests always makes Grumpy feel better.) Not planting squash in the same spot every year also helps. Squash bugs, which are closely related to stink bugs, suck the plant’s juices, causing leaf spots that start off yellow and then turn brown. Infested plants weaken and die.
Plant Resistant Varieties
Some squash types are resistant to squash bugs, including ‘Butternut,’ ‘Early Summer Crookneck,’ ‘Improved Green Hubbard,’ and ‘Royal Acorn.’ If you plant non-resistant types, check the leaf undersides frequently for eggs clusters and destroy the infested leaves.
Spray with Neem
Neem oil, a natural pesticide, has been shown to effectively control squash bugs. Spray it on all leaf and stem surfaces according to label directions. You can get this at many garden centers or order it from planetnatural.com.
Of Course, You Could Always……
……squash them. But remember they’re kin to stink bugs. Squashed squash bugs smell awful.
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Thanx to Jeff Moser for the bug pic.
This was my first year for summer squash. I lost all three plants — but my first thought was that it was due to the excessive heat we’ve been having. Never thought to look under the leaves! Oh well… will double check next year for sure!
Denise,
Squash is a warm weather plant. You have plenty of time to plant new squash and still have a harvest. Don’t give up! Just keep the new plants watered and follow the directions above. You’ll be awash in squash!
I use seven dust just on the base of my squash plants… put a bit in the hole when I plant and then every 7 to 10 days just on the stem below all the flowers… If I find eggs under leaf I scrape them off… so far so good
I will try those tips. Every year I try and almost have to burn my plants when the bugs come back. I wiil try this out thank you!
I found a way to kill squash bugs which is much safer for all than sevin dust. http://www.charliesoap.com/
It is made in NC. It is a great cleaner and the bugs die within seconds.
Tdr,
I checked out the product. It is marketed as a cleaner only. How do you safely apply it to plants to kill stinkbugs?
my husband found out today that Suave shampoo will kill the squash bugs. it was a moment of frustration for sure!
First time planting a garden without my grandparents help. Had some of the most beautiful and bountiful squash and zucchini plants around. I water them every evening faithfully but they still continued to die. Had never hear of a squash bug and I wish I never had. Been working on them for 2 weeks now and only have a couple of squash and zucchini plants left and now they are moving into my cucumber, cantaloupe and watermelon plants. I’ve tried removing the eggs on the plants, the Seven dust, picking them off by hand daily, and spraying them with a soap solution….I still can’t believe they are still taking over my garden. Isn’t there anything stronger. I’m feeling defeated here. Also, I was looking so forward to having fresh cantaloupe and watermelons. Is it harmful to eat the fruit and vegetables that have been invested with these parasites or do I need to just burn the entire garden. That option is starting to look like my only choice.
Denise,
Try Bayer Advanced Fruit & Vegetable Insect Control. Here’s a link: http://www.bayeradvanced.com/insects-pests/products/fruit-citrus-vegetable-insect-control. You can find this at garden centers. Follow label directions carefully.
I had about eight beautiful Zucchini plants all completely annihilated by the squash bugs! Every day my brothers and I would squash about twenty of those guys, squash the eggs and spray the plants with a soap/water/peppermint oil solution…..the bugs still won.
I also think we had some squash vine borers that ate the plants too.
I have some nice new plants I started indoors, they just received their first two real leafs. I am getting ready to plant them outside soon.
Any ideas of what I can do to prepare to combat these beasts? I’ve ripped up the old zucchini vines and threw them in the woods about two acres away and since then I haven’t seen a squash bug in the garden. But I’m afraid they’ll come back!
First, don’t plant zucchini in the same place every year, because this causes bugs and diseases that love zucchini to build up in the soil. Once you plant your new zucchini, try covering the plants with a floating row cover. This material lets in light, water, and air, but keeps out bugs. As soon as the plants start to flower, however, you’ll have to remove the row cover to permit pollination, unless you hand-pollinate the blooms.
Any liquid soap mixed with water will kill the squash bug almost instantly when sprayed on it. Basically, the soap suffocates it as it gets oxygen through it’s back. I think these things are mutant ninja creatures sent to torment gardeners. Anyway, a trick that works to get the eggs of the leaves is duct tape! Pulls them right off!
I just used Kirk’s Original Castile bar soap. Grind 1/8 -1/4 up and let it disolve in about a quart sprayer. Kills them dead. Been fighting them here in Kansas for years. First thing I ever found to kill them.
Thanks for the tips, Susan and Richard. Good stuff.
Stink & Squash bugs are killed easily with 1 – 1.5 TBSP Ivory Liquid in 1 Gallon of water. I spray the mixture with a Garden sprayer. This mixture also kills white flies and Cucumber Beetles.
Thanks for the info, Larry.
Can you use palmolive?
Dolores,
The brand of liquid detergent doesn’t matter.
Can I mix detergent with water and spray on my entire garden to kill the squash bugs in the dirt? Safely and effectively?
Liquid detergent only kills bugs that it touches. Once it’s dry on the ground, it has no effect.
Susan, I usually only spray directly on the squash bugs, remember there are many beneficial bugs in the garden that could also be effected. Including the pollinators. I also use Kirk’s Castile…..awesome!
Work @major box store in the garden department….so it’s dangerous for me to send this comment but…I try to direct customers away from Sevin Dust. Am I correct in thinking the dust gets in trachea of bees and KILLS them?
Ruth,
Sevin dust is extremely toxic to honeybees.
Last summer, when I spent an hour each day, bent upside down, with sweat pouring down into my eyes, getting the eggs off the underside of leaves, I was wondering what do commercial growers do? Surely they don’t hire cadres of folks like me. Why can’t we get what they get??? I defeated the squashbug through sheer vigilance, only to lose the plants to the dreaded squash vine borer…you can’t even see those eggs–at least I couldn’t. I remember my Dad’s garden where you couldn’t GIVE away all the squash! I hate that I can’t even have a couple of plants. It seems wrong. Why can’t we use what the commercial people use?????
I read the label on the Bayer product mentioned above…it doesn’t mention either squash bug or squash vine borer…it doesn’t list them in the insects it controls. DOES it control the squash bug? That would be wonderful! If it does control them, why doesn’t the label say so???
Diane,
While I sympathize with your plight, there’s a good reason you can’t use what the commercial farmers use. It’s too toxic and dangerous for someone to apply who doesn’t have an applicator’s license. Squash bugs get worse if you keep planting in the same place, so I’d skip a couple of years to reduce their numbers.
Should I try the Bayer product you recommended, even though it doesn’t mention the Squash Bug on the label..the product sounds great…you drench the soil just ONCE when you plant, then you don’t need to reapply. Does it work on Squash Bugs? Thanks!
Is the Kirk’s Original Castile and Charlie Soap actually effective and if so is it sold at any general hardwared / lawn & garden center or does it have to ordered online? Thanks
Diane,
Even though squash bugs aren’t on the label, I would still use the Bayer. As for Kirk’s Castile Soap, some readers claim it works, but I’ve never tried it. Here’s a link: http://www.kirksnatural.com/.
Dear Grumpy,
Thank you for your replies to my questions…this is a wonderful service that you provide. So, “no good deed goes unpunished,” and here’s another question: How do you suggest battling the dreaded squash vine borer. I think he is even more deadly and hard to stop than the squash bug. Other than general garden cleanup, any strategies for preventing them or battling them? Thank you so much…I really want some squash this year!!!!
The Bayer product I recommended before would also work for this. Another option is to cover your squash plants with a polyester row cover that lets in light and water, but keeps out bugs. However, you have to remove the cover once the plants start blooming to permit bees to pollinate the flowers, unless you want to do that yourself.
I read on another site , for keeping borers at bay, to inject the main stem w/about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Spinosad, starting from the base and every couple of inches up, or at the point of each branch extension. Can use insulin syringes, etc. Planted my 1st yellow, Zukes, and patty pan squash last year. The Zuke was attacked, and later one of my patty pans from squash bugs. The yellow maybe from borers. I also did NOT know what was going on, until later, as I’m a new gardener. I’ve seeded several in the greenhouse, but, now i’m reluctant to transplant after reading negatives regardless of arsenal used. However, i’ve certainly been learning ALOT about the square bug and borer on several posts/links. Wish there was a way to grow these babies inside!!
I think I’ll just try it again and PRAY God put an edge of protection around ‘em!
Rebecca,
I’ve also heard about injecting them with Spinosad (a type of beneficial bacteria), but first you have to find Spinosad, then you have to get a syringe, and then you have to play doctor. It’s a lot of trouble.
I heard from youtube to use aluminum foil on the base of the plant and wrap it loosely will effectively control vine borers works for me
Thanks for the tip, Chase!
Thanks everyone for the great tips on this site. I will be trying them out this year, will let you know how it goes. I’m getting tired of not getting any zucchini or crook neck. My grandfather used to get so many zucchini of one plant he would put them on the front seat of cars in the church parking lot to get rid of them
What if you have hundreds of plants? How do farmers deal with this problem?
Most commercial farmers douse their plants with insecticide.
Would you recommend mulching around the cucurbits? Or does the mulch act as more places for the squash bug to hide/live? THANKS!
I would mulch around your plants, because you want the soil moisture to be steady and also not have the squash fruit sitting on dirt. But if you’re having squash bug problems, remove the mulch after the growing season and throw it away.
I just put copious amounts of Palmolive mixed with water in a spray bottle and sprayed my squash and zuchinni plants and voila…it worked. They died within 30 seconds of being doused with the mixture. Wish I had found this fix sooner.
And you had nice clean bugs!
To help get rid of the squash bug eggs and not put too many holes in the leaves, I use duct tape. I wrap a piece, sticky side out around my hand and then pat the eggs to stick. They come right off onto the tape and I don’t end up destroying the leaves. I put the tape in the soapy water just in case before throwing it away.
Sara,
Once again someone has proved that there is no end to the uses for duct tape! Great tip.
I am pretty new to gardening and have had a problem with these little devils for the past 3 years. The 1st year i didnt know what the were and left them alone only to discover they ultimately killed my plant. Last year I was more cautious and tore off every leaf i found the eggs on and tried to squish the adults. This year I have done the same as the previous and I think I am loosing the battle. Can tearing off the leaves close to the base of the plant cause more damage to my zucchini/squash plants? And in doing so does it give these bugs an easier way to get in?
Just had to pull a mealy zucchini out to save the pumpkins…but the soap trick worked beautifully…managed to get some beetles. Hopefully the kids and hubby will find beetle hunting with soapy water just as fun while I am away for work. Thank you all for the tips. I, too, am new at this and am learning a ton.
Kim,
Try Sara’s technique described above. That way, you won’t have to tear off the leaves.
I have zucchini that are being tormented by sqaush bugs that are moving to my cucumbers. I would be happy to squash the bugs, but I never see them or the eggs. The tell tale yellow spots on the leaves tell me that it’s squash bugs, but how do I kill the little buggers?
Shae,
Try spraying your plants according to label directions with neem oil.