HeatherKing84
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HELP! Squash Vine Borer eggs on pumpkins

I have a patch of young pumpkin plants - I planted pretty late in the season so they haven't even produced the female flowers yet, only males. The past 3 days I've noticed several squash vine borers flying around the patch and I now have TONS of little eggs throughout the patch. Is there a way to kill the eggs before they hatch?? I've picked soooo many eggs off and crushed them but theres no way I can get all of them. I tried googling it but could only find ways to kill them after they hatch, which is difficult. Hoping there is a good insecticide I can spray?

This is my 1st attempt at growing pumpkins (or any veggie for that matter!) and I'm really wanting to keep them alive for my kids sake. Any advice would be very much appreciated! TIA!!

Bobberman
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This is what I do I take a can of garden raid and spray a light mist on the bottom stem and under leafs every 5 or 6 days and it kills the bugs and coats the egg so they die as they hatch. Just a mild amount works!!

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applestar
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applestar wrote:Bobberman, are you talking about Raid House and Garden Bug Killer?

Here is an IMPORTANT excerpt from the label:
GARDEN BUGS: Product is intended for use on ornamental garden plants only. It is not for use on edible crops.
https://www.raidkillsbugs.com/-/media/ra ... mula-7.pdf

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rainbowgardener
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Spraying the eggs with Neem oil should work. It is supposed to be able to penetrate their shell/membrane. And it is less harmful to people and the environment.

Bobberman
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applestar wrote:
applestar wrote:Bobberman, are you talking about Raid House and Garden Bug Killer?

Here is an IMPORTANT excerpt from the label:
GARDEN BUGS: Product is intended for use on ornamental garden plants only. It is not for use on edible crops.
https://www.raidkillsbugs.com/-/media/ra ... mula-7.pdf
I spray it on vine crops before the plant makes fruit. I have been doing that for years no worse than severins dust or other bad herbisides I only put it on light and it says for garden. They even use it in the house with windows open.

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rainbowgardener
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saying it is not as bad as Sevin dust is not saying much. I did look up the ingredients in RAID and added them to my thread about insecticides/herbicides and their toxicities and environmental impacts, here:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 27#p342527

My point is it is not necessary to use heavy duty poisons like this, when there are relatively harmless alternatives like Neem.

Bobberman
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You are right its best to use something that is less dangerous! Even lime is a good thing to chase bugs away! This coming year I plan on making a natural spray that works on most plants. When you put all that work in and something so simple as a spray will make you plants live longer its worth it!

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Lindsaylew82
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If you can catch the adults, that helps too. I wish there were some type of trap for them!

Having said that, it's a little late in the season for the adults...

Squash bugs are pretty persistent this late in the season. They lay clusters of cream colored eggs that turn into a deep bronze by the time they've matured. They like pumpkins a whole lot, too. Even with neem oil, I've found them to be hard to manage if I don't stay diligent of the hand picking... I don't have any type of squash, cucumber, melon, or pumpkin left in the garden this late. Succession planting get over run before I can even get them to produce.

Pickle worms are new to me this year. Oh! And melon worms.... They put added stress on the last bit of my early planted squash, pumpkin, and cucumber.

HeatherKing84
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Thank you all so much!! I have tried to keep everything as organic as possible but it is incredibly difficult to find a product that works. It's so hot here in TX that I've been afraid to spray any oil based product on them for fear of burning the leaves :(. I'll five Neem oil a shot! Thanks!

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Lindsaylew82
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I'm not sure if it's been mentioned, but when you spray it, make sure you do so very late in the afternoon. Near dusk. That's the best time here in SC. My garden gets pretty wicked afternoon sun. Near night is the only time I don't have even a wee bit of sun on it!

Good luck!

imafan26
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If the bugs are swarming, would row covers help?



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