How do I get rid of squash bugs?

[mindymin21]

I just realized that I have a REALLY bad problem with squash bugs!! I don't really know what to do to get rid of them because I have read that they can be very difficult to kill. Anyway I didn't know what they were and so I looked them up on line because I had noticed that they just kept multiplying and now I think I might be screwed. Is there anything that you can recommend to kill them before they take over my garden completely…

[gixxerific]

Go out and check every leaf for eggs first off. I had them totally overwhelm my garden this year. I fought and fought and could not win. I did use organic pesticides on them but I will leave that to you to decide on. Too much controversy there for me.

I think the only thing that brought there numbers down though for me was after the plants they were destroying were removed they moved on, well that and the shock and awe campaign I unleashed on them.

Good luck.

[engineeredgarden]

gixx - the "shock and awe" comment was pretty funny.....

mindy - Squashbugs are easy, and I spank their little tails every year. I really care about my bee friends, so I just catch the squashbugs with my hands, and crush them. (you can just drop them into a cup of soapy water, too) The key, is to know when they arrive for the year, and eradicate the adults, and any eggs found before they have a chance to become well established. Daily scouting of the plants is the way I keep up with them.

EG

[rainbowgardener]

Here's a nice thread we had about squash bugs:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=153449&highlight=squash+bugs#153449

[mindymin21]

Thanks so much for all the help!!

[garden5]

I found a zucchini plant this year that was inundated with them. I must have come across it right after a hatch, since they were mostly infants.

It was not in my main garden, but in a little spot off to the side. I was pulling it anyway, since it was dead (I wonder why ). Interestingly enough, not one other squash plant had any squash bug problems at all this year.