How To Get Rid of Squash Bugs

How To Get Rid of Squash Bugs

Want to learn how to get rid of squash bugs, their nymphs, & eggs in an easy, cheap way? Organically control the leaf-footed beetle pests in your garden with this method!


how to get rid of squash bugs

Most of us who are growing a garden right now can commiserate with one another over the persistent problem of a squash bug population (otherwise known as leaf-footed beetles or stink bugs) ravaging our summer squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and winter squash in our vegetable garden!

Well, today I’m going to show you how to kill squash bugs and limit squash bug damage! This awesome garden hack is a total game-changer!

Until now, we’ve been doing one-on-one battles trying to kill squash bugs (adults). And it’s not an easy battle to win!

For the gardener growing organically, rather naturally (not wanting to use even organic pesticides to upset the natural balance of the soil or inadvertently harm the beneficial insect population), this means lots of picking and squishing or drowning of the adults.

But the tables are about to turn, and our problem is about to grow exponentially because it is squash bug hatching season!

The few wily ones that have outwitted us have been laying their beautiful, jewel-like, golden or ruby squash bug eggs in clusters on the underside of the host plant’s leaves and they are getting ready to hatch into squash bug nymphs and start the life cycle all over. In fact, where yesterday there were none, today I found several batches had hatched.

Want an easy, cheap way how to kill squash bugs, their nymphs, & eggs? Organically control the leaf-footed beetle pests in your garden with this method.

What Is a Squash Bug?

When you type “squash bugs” into a google search, the top articles suggest ways to get rid of them. Though these pests are frustrating and serve as every gardener’s sole enemy, let’s learn a bit about them first. Maybe understanding them better will in turn help us understand how to get rid of squash bugs once and for all.

Squash bugs are no walk in the park to kill. Though they are normally found on their namesake plant, the squash, they can also be found on the squash’s cousin, the pumpkin.

Squash bugs are not actually stink bugs, though there is much misconception about the two. The similarities are in how they look and the stench that fills the air when they are killed.

What Do Squash Bugs Look Like?

If you are trying to make sure you have the right bug just by a glance, you can tell by paying close attention to the small unique features on their bodies. They are a pretty big bug at about half an inch long! Their bellies or abdomens have orange lines, and their bodies are dark brown or gray.

The younger ones have black or grey legs. You will typically find them strolling around plant leaves, though they do have the ability to fly. A squash bug infestation tends to move around in packs, strolling along the bottoms of leaves with their own kind at a fast pace. Since they move in packs, finding them is not as difficult.

Where do Squash Bugs Hide?

The part you will really have to watch for with these bugs is the way they overwinter in hidden places. Some of these places include dead leaves, in vines, hidden in buildings, and even tucked away under boards.

Once winter ends and vines begin forming, they are on their way (by way of flight) to the stems and leaves your plants to start mating and laying eggs. These egg-laying sessions come in troves and happen on the underside of leaves. Squash bugs, the sneaky little things, tend to live under leaves that have already been harmed, especially the adults.

How Are Squash Bugs Damaging for Your Garden?

So what are the exact ways these bugs cause damage?

For starters, they are toxic to plants. They inject their God-given saliva toxins into your host plants and then cause ultimate harm by sucking the sap out of the plant. And all of this is done with only their mouth! After the plant experiences this assault, you will begin to see yellow spots, that ultimately turn brown, on it.

They essentially suck the life out of the plant and ruin the pathways for nutrients to reach the leaves. The end game looks like wilting leaves that are black, ragged, and brittle. These terrible bugs can harm your premature squash and kill your small plants quickly, with no regard for your hard work.

A good thing to keep in mind when dealing with any garden bug is the distinct similarities and differences all pests cause in their damage. This bug’s damage can easily be mixed up with the cucumber beetle, so make sure you keep an eye out for the ways in which the squash bug differs in its destruction!

squash bugs in your garden

How to Get Rid of Squash Bugs: Preventing

Prevention may be one of the most critical factors in learning how to get rid of squash bugs and all pests in general. As the saying goes, work smarter rather than harder.

Things You Should Do

  • In fall, burn (or compost) your old squash vines or other plant debris. The reason for this is to prevent squash bugs from housing themselves in these vines over the winter. The best way to avoid squatters is to take away their ability to squat in the first place, right?
  • Another great preventative is crop rotation. Get one step ahead of these bugs by mixing it up each season. Do this by planting your veggies in different areas of your garden. It’s not a bad idea to begin making this rhythm a habit.
  • Did you know there are plant resistant varieties of squash that squash bugs do not enjoy? Actually, squash types like butternut, sweet cheese, and royal acorn are resistant to these bugs. Get your hands on some of these types so you can stay away from the squash bug epidemic, yet still, enjoy the delicious goodness of squash!
  • Another great idea is to try companion planting, which is an immediate squash bug repellent. Plants like tansy, marigolds, calendula, and nasturtium sitting around your squash may really keep these pests at bay. If you are looking for some plants that are more useful for your everyday rhythms but also keep squash bugs away, try some of these:
    • Mint
    • Onion
    • Dill
    • Radishes
    • Chives
    • Garlic
  • One last great way to get rid of squash bugs is to invest in a vine covering. This solution will keep your vines safely unavailable for squash bugs until they begin to bloom. And don’t fear, you can always remove the cover for pollination.

Things You Should Avoid

  • Spring planting – If you want to stay one step ahead of the buggers, do not plant until the beginning of the summer months. If you do plant in spring, keep in mind that timing matters and that there are ways to outsmart squash bugs. There is only one generation of these pests per year, and the best time to cover up the squash (see above tip) is at the beginning of spring.
  • A messy garden – A good way to make sure your squash plants don’t get ingested is by avoiding a messy garden… keep your garden clean. All the extra stuff from the last season has to go. That means the plant leftovers: vines, leaves, and all the other things you will find in the wake of the previous harvest. Clean up after yourself if you don’t want these bugs to create a breeding ground out of your mess.
  • Straw and hay – Squash bugs enjoy straw and hay. These two things create a safe haven for these pests to get comfortable in, so stay away from creating cool mulches that go deep.
  • Avoid mulch! – Bugs love to hide in mulch because they can live under it and stay protected. Mulch can be an excellent tool for weed control and keeping in excess moisture, but it is not worth it if it will also attract squash bugs. If you do want to use mulch, keep it away from the plant’s base.

Once squash bugs are full-grown adults, they are not easy to kill or contain once you find an infestation. That means early detection is key!

how to get rid of squash bugs

How to Get Rid of Squash Bugs

Kill Squash Bug Eggs & Nymphs

Last year, I picked the squash eggs off pumpkins with fingernails, getting the eggs stuck under them and often tearing the leaves in the process. My plan for this year was to be on the lookout for the soft-bodied nymphs and squish them as they hatched.

But this morning while chopping potatoes for frying to serve with some scrambled eggs, I listened to a podcast (now defunct) where the lady mentioned that her method of organic control is managing the eggs with a roll of duct tape!!

Brilliant!

I dropped my greasy spoon and ran for the barn, grabbed the duct tape, and headed to the garden where I experienced the genius of this idea for myself!

This morning alone I saved my plants from literally hundreds of these little monsters and myself from hours of picking! It was truly shocking. I would never have found all of the nymphs on the pumpkin leaves that were in with the corn…. Not in a million years.

I believe I may have stopped this cycle dead in its tracks with less than an hour’s work.

How to Get Rid of Squash Bugs

Tips for How to Get Rid of Squash Bug Eggs

• It is trickier to get the eggs when they have been laid in the corner of the large veins, so I got what I could and the few remaining I picked off with a fingernail.

• Be gentle. Some of the pumpkins had soft leaves, and a bit of the leaf came off with the eggs.

• If you see a squash beetle adult, capture her! I tapped the tape to her back, and she was stuck. I folded the tape piece around her, and she wasn’t going anywhere.

• Ditto for the cucumber beetles. If you happen to see one of them, tap it on their back. I think that’s the quickest way I’ve dealt with those guys so far.

How to Get Rid of Squash Bugs as Adults

Pesticide Spray

Until now, the most successful way that I have found to manage our infestation and learn how to get rid of squash bugs was to mist down the plants with a little peppermint oil diluted in a sprayer of water or using Rhubarb Leaf Pest Spray.

However, that acts more as a temporary repellent, and you have to do it frequently to give your plants a fighting chance.

Another way to get rid of the adult squash bugs (and perhaps the cucumber beetles) on the spot is to use a biodegradable detergent dish soap. The soapy water works by suffocating the beetle within moments. A bucket of soapy water worked wonderfully for the squash bugs, but not so much for the cucumber beetles. That’s okay though because I prefer to remove the beetle from the plant before spraying it. I want to make sure the plant isn’t affected in any way, and that the cucumber beetles will fly before allowing that to happen.

Duct Tape

The duct tape trick works well to get rid of squash bug adults too. When you tap them with the tape, they stick right to it! (Though I do pinch the tape around them to make sure they don’t fall off.)

Hand Held Vacuum Cleaner

An alternative to duct tape for nymphs and adults would be to get yourself a handheld vacuum cleaner. It’s a lot safer than squishing and works well for catching the ones that almost got away! A hand-held vacuum is also excellent for other garden pests like Cucumber Beetle, Asparagus Beetles, Mexican Bean Beetles, Colorado Potato Beetles, and more!

One final, long-term, goal would be to encourage your garden to become a diverse habitat. A place where predators like frogs and toads can become your greatest allies in the war against the pests!

Happy Gardening!

So, with a little diligence in using these tricks, my garden plants have a fighting chance against these squash bugs! Also, I hope that yours will now too!

Finally, I want to know everything about your experience with squash bugs and how you face them. Please, feel free to ask any further questions in the comments section. I will keep an eye on the comments, in order to give you all the right answers. So, how is your squash beetle war going? If you succeeded, how did you? If not, how do you plan to attack? Share your gardening story with us and keep us posted about how you protect your green friends.

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93 Comments

  1. Just came in from the garden after killing a bunch of adult squash bugs and removing eggs from my zucchini. Ended up tearing too many leaves. Going right back out with my roll of duct tape! Wonderful idea!!! Thank you !!!

  2. I plant Nasturtium seeds around each squash and cucumber plant when I set them. Squash bug infestations are very minimal as, for some reason they are repelled by them. I hope this helps.

  3. Thank you so much for the suggestion of using duct tape for the nymphs! Just nailed a bunch that must have just hatched, hanging around a cluster of egg sacs. So glad these are off my butternut squash… for now.

  4. Hallo, ich glaube, dies ist ein ausgezeichnetes Blog. Ich
    stumbledupon it;) Icch werde Zurück erneut da ich Lesezeichen es.

    Geld und Freiheit ist die größte Weeg zzu ändern, können Sie reich seijn und weiterhin guide andere.

  5. Gonna have to try this ! Between the squash bugs and horn worms it was a huge struggle last year. Only thing that slowed them down was neem oil but if it rained and washed it off it was back to planting eating monsters.

    1. That’s the beauty of this! If there are no eggs to hatch cause you snatched them all away on the tape, there are fewer bugs to keep the cycle going as the season progresses. It’s a struggle to garden organically, no doubt, but it’s totally worth the egg-check or the reapplication of neem to make sure our food doesn’t have chemicals! Hope you have a better year this year!

  6. Squash bugs are literally the monsters that my nightmares are made of. No other pest has caused me as much heartache, stress, or drama than those dang squash bugs. To the point where two nights of every week during the growing season were dedicated to seek and destroy missions. I swear I’ve tried every tip I’ve found and the duct tape trick has worked the best. Although, I must not be finding them all as they continue to taunt me and haunt me. 🙁

    1. Yeah, there’s always one that gets away. It’s so distressing! The good news is, when you’re duct taping the squash bugs even if you don’t win the war, you win enough battles to get some of the harvest!

      It’s the cucumber beetles though that make me feel the way you do. Anything they attack is a ticking time bomb till they die and there is no spray-free way to get them all (or even close.) I felt a little better about it when I was reading market gardeners were growing those crops inside high tunnels with multiple layers of additional insect protection and they still lose their crops to the buggers.

  7. Three years ago, while fighting squash bug’ s and their eggs I remembered that most eggs need oxygen to hatch. I bought a can of fast dry spray adhesive and from then on enjoyed the bug war. Spray the eggs, they don’t hatch, spray the bug it doesn’t move, spray the mess of little just hatched bugs and they don’t grow. Oh joy. Second year less bugs, last year few bugs, this year I go out in the morning and hunt and hunt and I find from two to six every day. Yesterday, none, today none. No eggs. Just a very light squirt is all it takes. I love this stuff!

  8. This is GENIUS! I’ve lost all my zucchini and am fighting to keep my pumpkins alive. Thanks for sharing it!

  9. Here in Oklahoma, we plant a second summer squash crop and find less problems with the second crop. Summer squash is a very quick growing plant and it is Aug. and we are enjoing the new crop already. Also good rotation is helpful, putting next years squash in a totally different area of the garden may help.

  10. I discovered by accident that if I plant tomato plants around my zuchinni plants the squash bugs either stay away or I have a lot less of them. Just an idea for next year!

  11. Reading your article about squash/stink bugs…maybe they aren't my problem. I had 2 zucchini plants that I have one or the other on (I must admit, I thought they were one in the same bug!) I used the kill the adults, remove the eggs, and used Dr. Bonners soap on them. One day the plant looks healthy and thriving, the next day, droopy and in a few days….dead!! I did get a couple of very small one to come back around though.

  12. Reformation Acres it does help yes. I have been checking them daily and have no sign of them as yet but now that i know what to watch for i certainly will keep an eye out for them. thank you also for claifying that they are not stink bugs or I probably would have missed it till it was too late.

  13. I hear you! They love cucumbers and winter squash too. I think it must be a good year for bugs cause they're crazy. I've never had such a battle with flea beetles before either. Sadly, I haven't found a perfect no-spray solution for those guys yet. (I had tried fresh coffee grounds successfully in years past but this year it didn't phase them.)

  14. Squah bugs and stink bugs aren't the same, but they look similar. A lot of people get the two confused and I'll be honest, I incorrectly called them stink bugs on purpose so that Google would pick up those key words. That way those thinking they are stink bugs can still find this tip in a Google search. https://extension.umd.edu/growit/stink-bug-or-squash-bug-can-you-tell-difference-0 I searched squash bugs and Nebraska just now and several university sights in your state address the pest, so I imagine it's probable they could be in your area. If you haven't had a garden growing their favorite plants before, it might take them a little while to find you. If I was in your shoes, I would simply take a peek under the leaves when you weed and keep your eye out for damaged leaves. If you look at the 4th photo in this post you'll see a leaf on the left that is lying on the ground- it's kind of yellowish and has holes through it. That's early damage. Later damage will look like the leaves are browning and getty crispy. If you catch it before the plant is dead and keep them clear of bugs they will still recover and bear fruit. Normally, I don't lose plants to stink bugs anymore, when I lose them it's to cucumber beetles and the wilt virus they spread. Hope that helps! Garden blessings 🙂

  15. Ok first time ever gardener so had no idea about squash bugs, borer bugs cuke bugs or any of their ilk. I built a raised garden and transplanted a number of plants i had prestarted and took seeds from a spaghetti squash we had for dinner one night and planted those after drying them for a week or two a an experiment. Like someone else said I love spaghetti squash. All of my squash and my one surviving cucumber plant are growing fantastically, but now, after reading your article I'm a bit concerned. Where are these bugs prevalent (i live in Nebraska) when do i start looking for them and where are they usually found? Also what do they look like? You mentioned once in the article about stink bugs, those I'm familiar with fron living in central Pennsylvania, are they what you call squash bugs? If so i found a trap for them at Walmart a couple of years ago that uses pheromones to attract them and captures them. It worked like a charm and has to be emptied several times a week. If you can get back to me because I'd hatebky first garden to be desquashed due to my ignorance on the dangers ro them. Thanks!

  16. Thank you so much for this tip. My squash are a little late coming up this year, but already I've seen adult squash bugs in the garden. I'm going to try the peppermint oil around my plants and keep an eye on them until I see eggs then the duck tape with attack! 😀 I love spaghetti squash and I never had a problem with these pests until I started growing it. I'm going to be very happy if this works as I would like to keep my garden organic.

  17. Purchase some Bt – Bacillus thuringiensis (organic bug killer). Take a syringe and inject a small amount, full strength, right out of the bottle, into the lower stem, above the ground. The stems are hollow and will kill any and all vine borers.

    1. But that won’t work for squash bugs (the ones that smell like cilantro when you squish them.) Vine borers are different. I’ve never tried the method you suggest with them but I’ve heard others say it works well.

  18. Reformation Acres
    I am going to try row cover, and black plastic mulch. maybe it will be too hot for them. Succession planting will give a continuous supply.

  19. Oh, I totally agree. But for most gardeners who only need a few plants to meet their needs, it's a great solution and has made all the difference as to weather our plants make it. We are upscaling this year and in addition to using this method, we will be row covering immediately and until flowering. I've also heard good things about silver reflective mulch and succession plantings.

  20. You still have to go out each and every day and scan your plants!!! Not practical if rows of squash number 50- 100 feet. Still not a perfect solution, lots of work inmy mind.

  21. After yet another year of losing squash and cucumbers to pests (the worst one ever, actually–I didn’t get anything except lemon squash from the cucurbit family that year and they took up half my garden in one form or another), I decided to take an extreme step and stop growing them for a few years. No squash, no pumpkins, no cucumbers. And, yes, I miss them, but it’s worth it. According to my reading it takes about three years to starve the vine borers out.Nothing I tried before this worked well-enough. And I mean nothing–not organic methods, not smashing and killing them, not scraping off all the eggs, not diatomacious earth, even the liquid Sevin I finally resorted to (carefully applied at dusk after the bees went home), nothing. I felt like I was going to war every time I went out there. I don’t just garden for the food-I garden for my head too. And this was not good for my head.

    My garden has been more peaceful since doing this. Last year was better and this year the bees and bumble bees are back en force, the turtles and frogs are visible. I’ve increased other crops and added a new one or two. I’ve got a minor problem with rabbits and deer–they’re easy to fight by covering the plants with row covers. Meanwhile, I’m looking for solutions for the future because I intend to try curcubits again. I will file this away.

    1. You know what we’re using this year for the adults that is working real well is a hand held vacuum cleaner. I think it’s a Dirt Devil. Works for the adults and nymphs (and cucumber beetles too!) So that’s something to keep in mind for when you try your hand at those again. Hope that you get a good crop next time 🙂

  22. Read an article yesterday that said mulch actually makes this problem worse as the bugs use it as a home (place to hide). Will be trying the duct tape thing this year.

  23. Hey Quinn, Just wanted to give you a heads up that the "Farm Dreams" link above does not go to a podcast but a "professional tarot card reader"…. kinda weird. hahah! Would love the actual link though! I love podcasts! 🙂

  24. I gave up on the cukes this year, and the squash plants. problem is the eggs are very often on another plant's leaves, like celery not the leaves on the plants which will bear the fruit, then the adults show up by the hundreds after the fruit has been damaged. ugh, I really hate squash bugs. Thanks for the duct tape trick, I'll definitely try that in the upcoming growing season, if I decide to grow cukes and squashes again.

  25. Squash bugs haven't been too much issue to manage and the duct tape works great. My big issue is vine borers. They just devasted my zucchini, yellow and spaghetti squash this year!!

  26. I started wrapping aluminum foil around the bottom 6 inches or so of my squash vines, from the ground up. Haven’t had a borer since.

  27. In my experience, if you can get the bugs under control (especially the cucumber beetles that love squash nearly as much as the stink bugs), your squash should be able to make a comeback as long as it's not too far gone. Hope that's the case for you as well!

  28. Only seen a few squash buggers so far and I think I got them. I have way to many snails though and I think they are nibbling on tender leaves of my squash tho I have yet to catch one in the act. In an attempt to save ravaged plants I have placed plastic covers/jars over a couple small plants. I check them a couple times a day to let some heat out but the isolation and humidity might be working. One seems to be regrowing leaves, still waiting for the other one to decide what it wants to do.

  29. I haven't found a single one this year! I attribute that to the fact that I have chickens running around my garden zapping all the bugs! Unfortunately, I have had some casualties to my lettuce because of the chickens.

  30. I haven't found a single one this year! I attribute that to the fact that I have chickens running around my garden zapping all the bugs! Unfortunately, I have had some casualties to my lettuce because of the chickens.

  31. One of my boys brought me a toad today and said they found it in the garden and I went crazy on them, demanding that it be put back that very minute 😉 I've never had so much appreciation for toads and spiders until I became a gardener! Hope you love the duct tape!

  32. Thank you so much for the duct tape idea. I have been picking them off which is difficult (corners), frustrating and gross. And the adults are sly, quick to jump around a leaf or other plant part. Also I saw two fat toads, who I will now greatly appreciate. Maybe we have a chance now!

  33. I just came in from duct taping literally thousands of eggs. Last year I couldn't keep up with them and they destroyed all of my squash plants. I feel like I have a chance this year. Thanks..oh and I taped a few adults too. Awesome idea.

  34. So sorry for your frustrations! I've never been able to get rid of them 100% (some always sneak by) but when you get 95% then there aren't enough to devastate your crops and you still bring in a respectable harvest. I hope your garden does wonderfully this year Hollie!

  35. Two years ago the evil squash bugs killed all of my beautiful squashes — yellow zucchinis, butternut squashes, and white and Cinderella pumpkins. Last year I tried planting some zucchinis in the flowers, well away from the vegetable garden, and I was very carefully picking off the eggs. One day I came out to check, and found a nest that had just hatched, and I gave up. I sure wish I knew why God made them! Maybe I'll try again this year, close to the house, so I can control them with duct tape and the shopvac. Thank you for your suggestions!

  36. Tansy, silver (Jackpot tansy) from richters herbs.com will repeal the adults.( non inivasive)

    1. Thanks! I have a well-marked catalogue from them (my daughter was just flipping through it today), I’ll have to make another notation 🙂

  37. The squash bugs don’t seem to bother my squash until later in the season, but the dog gone borers kill my plants just as they are beginning to produce, so that is probably why Ihaven’t had much problem with the squash bugs. Any remedies for the borer? I am hesitant to use the diatomaceous earth because it lasts so long and will kill my earthworms too. Thank you!

    1. I can’t help you too much with borers… I did find one of the adults this year, and killed it before it could do any egg laying. Years ago though I had them take out a crop and read to burn the plants and crop rotate and that seemed to do the trick.

      1. i planted in a garden that hadnt been used for 3 years – borer heaven! remove dead vines (dont burn), always rotate – cant get rid of them. maybe burning is the trick?

  38. I had good success with sprinkling Cayenne pepper powder on the stems all around the plant. (used the 90k HU) it lasts for a week or two unless it rains. It does burn the tops of the leaves but a little here and there didn’t hurt except for it being ugly.

  39. I also have read planting nasturtium around your squash can help control the squash bugs. We did try that this year but, unfortunately, the nasturtium bloomed too late and they are only just now blooming. so next year we will plant them earlier.

    1. I’m on my 3rd year of trying to grow nasturtiums. I know I can do it, but it didn’t happen this year again. Perhaps the timing is off and the tomato seedlings need too much attention that the nasturtiums get neglected? Hopefully next year will be the year for BOTH of us 🙂

  40. Ugh, the squash bugs! This is my 2nd year gardening, and my 2nd year fighting those evil little creatures! Thank you for this post, I will definitely try the duct tape. Also, the comments mentioning using a shop vac are brilliant! I’ve been so discouraged, and I am now encouraged. Yay! 🙂

    One thing I have had some luck with is a dust called diatomaceous earth.
    I try to use it sparingly but it has made me feel like I have a chance against the little monsters. I know you probably do not want to use this, but it has helped us some. Here’s to winning the squash bug battle!

    1. If your’e diligent with the tape during the egg laying part, you can totally beat these little buggers! Right now you’re finding what a handful on each plant? Think about how many all those eggs would turn into that you’re getting rid of and removing away from the food source!! Once you get all those eggs removed, your work will be virtually done for the season. This is SO easy & really WORKS!! 😀

  41. I found hundreds of Squash Bugs and an equally large number of eggs in my squash patch, which contains Butternut, Acorn, and Pumpkin. They seemed to gravitate towards the Acorn, not sure if thats what they prefer, or if its simply where the infestation originated.

    Flicking the bugs into soapy water was simply impossible for the amount of bugs I found, so instead I used a Shopvac. It was easier to get the bugs on the ground, completely organic and much, much quicker.

    1. I love using the Shopvac on bugs! 🙂 It worked great especially on the asparagus beetles who are little stinkers and drop to the ground before you can catch them. We would just pop the nozzle right over the spears. I actually think we might have got them before they laid any eggs this year! Yea!!

  42. I’m new to gardening and had just seen some strange looking bugs getting it on the other day and I didn’t think much about it till I read your post. I ran out to check my squash and sure enough, there were eggs all over. So I ran back to the garage and found the duct tape! Thank you!

  43. The duct tape is a fabulous idea! The squash bugs got all the decorative pumpkins my husband planted but that wasn’t a big loss. They then started on the yellow squash and killed all but 1 plant. Now they are after the zucchini! I tried the soap spray with a little success and I tried the onion and garlic infused water but I guess we were too late. Got to grab my duct tape now…… bye.

  44. I collect up the bugs and toss them in a recycled peanut butter jar in the freezer. In the winter I feed them to my chickens as a high protein treat.

  45. I use dawn dish soap in a squirt bottle. even used it on my cabbage

  46. I used Elmer’s glue to seal the eggs to the leaves..so far it seems to have worked

    1. That might be a great idea! Hope it works for you 🙂 (And that I have no reason at all to experiment with it this year 😉 so far, so good!)

  47. some times when my squash plants have just wilted and dies it is a squash vine bore that was the culprit

  48. Squash bugs are the bane of my garden! So excited to try this this year 🙂 Thanks girl!

    1. You’re welcome Melissa! Hope it works well for you. (Which is silly to say because I know it will 🙂 )

  49. Well mine last year got so bad I was using a small shopvac and a brush attachment. They were everywhere. They went after mellons as well as all the squash plants.

    1. This will be our first year growing melons, so I’ll have to keep an eye on them- thanks for the heads up! I love the shop vac idea- I just started using one a week or two ago to get those nasty asparagus beetles eating up and laying eggs all over our spears. So much nicer than trying to catch & squish them before they fall to the ground and hide! I’m seeing a huge reduction in the numbers out their every day!

  50. Are the squash plants dying from squash vine borer? They always nail my plants….Also powdery mildew….

    1. We had the sv borer one year. (Actually, the first pest I remember). We haven’t had them since- I burned the plants as soon as I diagnosed the issue and then practiced crop rotation & they’ve never been back 🙂

      1. I’ve been shaking the bugs into a cup of vinegar, which kills them. But I haven’t seen them in large numbers. I’m going to check my squash leaves tomorrow with duct tape on hand just in case. Thanks! (Love the title of your blog.)

    2. I use a bt soil soak at the base of the plants every 7 to 10 day’s. So far NO vine borers.