How to kill squash bugs - Knowledgebase Question

Perennials
Augusta, Ge
Question by mom281999
July 5, 2010
HELP!!!!The little devils are killing my squash,and they are on my tomatoes,peppers,and eggplants.Besides just picking them off,what else can I do?


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Answer from NGA
July 5, 2010

0

 Squash bugs are about 1/2" long, brown or grey, and shaped a bit like a shield. They suck the juices out of leaves and stems. They feed in groups. To control them, find their masses of yellow to reddish-brown eggs on the underside of leaves and squash them. 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 or similar around plants, then go out early in the morning to kill any bugs hiding underneath. 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. Rotate crops every planting season and clean up plant debris, where the bugs can overwinter.

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