How to control squash bugs

[Kassaundra]

We just pick them off and squash them them look for eggs on the underside of leaves and destroy those too. That's the only thing that I've found works with any reliability. I've been told waiting to plant them until now will interrupt their life cycle since they hatch at about the same time each year and if they have nothing to eat will die off. I'm going to try that next year and see how it works. Good luck.

I see two flaws w/ that theory 1) while they are called squash bugs and prefer squash they will eat tomatoes, and every cuberit out there and watermelon, cantaloupe too. I have also seen them attack okra too so don't think they will starve w/o squash plants, and 2) I'm in your part of OK too and if you didn't plant any squash until now, try starting it in this heat and drought.


Squishing is my first line, chickens my second line but they are fickle about squash bugs they aren't that fond of the flavor I think.

 

[mini-micro rancher]

Trying spinosad tomorrow morning. I will let you guys know how it goes. I'm re-treating next Thursday too, as I am sick of my yard and garden looking like a war zone. I have 8 three-week-old chicks and their mama in that section of my yard, and the damage they do compared to the moths (and caterpillars) is invisible. I have to keep Mama and chicks off yard for a while, until it dries--I think, and then they can go back out there. I'll let you know by Sunday.

 

[mini-micro rancher]

Trying spinosad tomorrow morning. I will let you guys know how it goes. I'm re-treating next Thursday too, as I am sick of my yard and garden looking like a war zone. I have 8 three-week-old chicks and their mama in that section of my yard, and the damage they do compared to the moths (and caterpillars) is invisible. I have to keep Mama and chicks off yard for a while, until it dries--I think, and then they can go back out there. I'll let you know by Sunday.

Quoting myself. Weird. Anyhow, I sprayed the spinosad this morning. It's made by a company called Montery, and is OMRI certified. I got up at six, loaded the sprayer, and sprayed everything except the butterfly bushes. They are huge and healthy, and my local butterflies are currently snacking on the blossoms, so I figured I would leave them alone. There were some cabbage moths out zipping around in that cool air, so I was sure to splash some spray their way. I kept all my chickens locked in their runs (no free-ranging) until the spray was bone dry. There are much much fewer little white moths out and about today. No one is sick. I let the new flock out, but Mama and hers tend to stay deep in the raspberries (oh, which I didn't spray either). I'm hoping my lawn starts to recover.

 

[farmer9989]

put down 1/6 boards about 12 inches long all down the rows,nothing new just scrap .every morning and night turn it over and see what prizes you have .
watch out though any thing that needs to hide can be there . when it gets dry it helps to put some water under them also.

 

[samsr]

I let my chickens at them them today. This is the first time they had been let out. They found them and ate probably half of those little critters. I will do this again for the next few days. If I still see them by the week end I will probably spray malithion. Then keep the chickens out of the garden for a while. This spray is my last resort for the bugs.

 

[Kassaundra]

Before you let the chickens at the squash (or during) spray the base of the plants and surrounding gound just under the plants w/ water, the squash bugs hate this and will cause them to climb up the stems making them easier for the chickens to get more of them.

 

[jvhfhhrhdgerfue]

squash bugs are ugly

 

[jbirds2012]

what is a squash bug?

that was my first question. so i googled it and here is a pic for all the other folks out there that don't know what one is.

we got some guineas witch we can finally start letting out this sunday. from what i hear they love bugs

 

[Kassaundra]

My chickens like to eat squash bugs too. They helped a lot this year.