Squash bugs are one of our biggests pests in the summer. A minor infestation can get out of hand in a hurry if you don’t stay on top of it. The adults are a dark, triangular insect with a flat back. You can find their tiny copper-colored eggs in clusters on the undersides of leaves. You want to make sure to get them under control as soon as you spot them, or else they can cause mass destruction!
Treatment Options:
- There is not much you can do to squash your squash bug problem! We pay our kids to go out and check for squash bug eggs, and they get 50 cents for every cluster found. You can remove the eggs by hand, with a piece of tape, or with a lint roller.
- Other natural ways to fight these are to release praying mantis and create a homemade garlic spray.
- As with most pests, the use of companion planting can also be beneficial to help disguise your plants that they are attacking.
Plants to Specifically Watch:
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6 thoughts on “How to: Manage Squash Bugs in Your Garden”
They are notable rare here, so are not much of a problem. There are a few other annoying bugs, but they do not do much damage.
Oh, how I envy you! Squash bugs are one of our worst enemies here in OKC!!
Oh, no need to envy. Our culture is so contrary to gardening that people are the enemies. This region used to be famous for fruit orchards. Now, in town, we are not supposed to grow such utilitarian things where they are visible from out front. When I lived in town, we had a very nice vegetable garden and peach tree in the back yard next door, but the neighbor on the other side complained about it. The peaches as well as the figs in my side garden all got stolen by gardeners who maintained the neighbors landscapes.