| These bugs like to hide in leaf litter or under boards, stones, etc. at night. Since they overwinter under garden debris, and there is only one generation per year, it is possible to reduce their population with diligence early in the season. You can place boards around plants, then go out early in the morning to kill any bugs hiding underneath. Also, search for and squish their shiny yellow to reddish eggs (on the undersides of the leaves), as well as any nymphs you find. Pull mulch away from the base of plants too, to eliminate hiding places. Row covers can exclude the insects, if placed on plants early in the season. You'll need to hand-pollinate flowers, however. There are also some resistant varieties of summer and winter squash. |
