The squash bugs are so pervasive in my garden that they're laying eggs on the vines as well as the leaves. In my last survey I counted between two to three egg clusters per leaf and multiple additional egg clusters per vine. Even with destroying the clusters I find there are some that get by.
This is a group of squash bug nymphs that hatched from a cluster of eggs on a vine that I missed. They don't get any more appealing as they grow up. At this stage they are difficult to dispatch manually as they move fairly quickly.
Here are the adult squash bugs working on making more eggs. Next year I plan to be more aggressive with taking out the adults as I find them. This year I found some and didn't kill them because I didn't know what they were. I thought they might be assassin beetles, but ya they weren't.
The squash bugs are so pervasive in my garden that they're laying eggs on the vines as well as the leaves. In my last survey I counted between two to three egg clusters per leaf and multiple additional egg clusters per vine. Even with destroying the clusters I find there are some that get by.
This is a group of squash bug nymphs that hatched from a cluster of eggs on a vine that I missed. They don't get any more appealing as they grow up. At this stage they are difficult to dispatch manually as they move fairly quickly.
Here are the adult squash bugs working on making more eggs. Next year I plan to be more aggressive with taking out the adults as I find them. This year I found some and didn't kill them because I didn't know what they were. I thought they might be assassin beetles, but ya they weren't.
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3 comments:
I fought with squash bugs for 3 yrs. without success. Then I tried growing my zucchini plant on my deck, starting it later and moving it to a hidden spot in my yard (behind a fence by the garage), where I also planted my cucs. I had read a suggestion of planting them later because the bugs will move elsewhere for what they want. I also refrained from planting any other squash/melon plants. I have been free of them for 3 yrs. now! They are nasty & multiply like crazy!!!
I accept that they're nasty and undesirable, but I sure like the pictures of them. Maybe it's me but the nymphs are sort of pretty. But I'm going outside right now to see if I have any on my cantaloupe or watermelon or squash plants. I've got several; I didn't plant them; they must be volunteers from my home-made compost.
Yuk! We've been battling ants, they seem to love basil and shiso leaf. :/
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