Squash Bugs—Pests That Enjoy
Munching on Your Cucurbits

If you growing squash or pumpkins, squash bugs are pests that you'll need to keep your eye on. The nymphs and adults of Asana tristis feed on leaves and stems of your cucurbits, sucking the sap from the plant.

While feeding on the plant, these bugs introduce a toxic substance to the plant. This toxin causes the leaves to turn black, dry out and become brittle.

Squash bugs usually only attack the mature plant, not the seedling. As a result, the plant grows, but produces little or no fruit, which is, of course, the whole point of growing zucchini, pumpkins and cucumbers.

The adult squash bug is about 1/2 inch (1 1/4 cm) long. It's dark brown or blackish in color. It has a bad odor when "squashed."

You can control squash bugs by selecting cucurbit varieties that are resistant to this insect, like Butternut, Royal Acorn, and Sweet Cheese squashes.

Hand-pick eggs and adults from your plants whenever you find them. You can also use citrus oil on them.

It's especially critical to reduce the overwintering population of squash bugs by removing and destroying damaged and infested foliage and fruit immediately after harvest.

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