FROM THE GARDEN
BUG ZONE
NUISANCE PEST LIST
CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED REGULARLY
SQUASH BUGS
FOUND ON: Cucurbits (mostly squash in particular, but also pumpkins, melons, etc)
CHARACTERISTICS:
- Brown or gray in color with a darker triangular lower region
- Looks similar to, and often confused with, a stink bug
- Eggs are oblong and brown (like a football) and laid in clusters
WHAT THEY DO:
They suck sap from the stems, injecting a toxic saliva into the plant as they feed. Heavy squash bug feeding can cause plants to suddenly wilt and die, called “squash bug wilt.”
TREATMENTS / SOLUTIONS:
There are no good organic commercial treatments for squash bugs that I know of.
- Early prevention is best by finding and removing adults, eggs, and nymphs
- Knock them into soapy water
- Packing tape around your hand to stick them to works great
- Wood ashes sprinkled in the area are said to deter them
SQUASH BEETLES
FOUND ON: Cucurbits (squash, cucumber, and melon plants)
CHARACTERISTICS:
- Adult is a gold/orange-colored beetle with black spots
- Looks similar to a lady bug but is about double the size
- Eggs are small, long, yellow, and laid in big clusters on leaves
- Larvae are yellow with six rows of barbed, black spines
WHAT THEY DO:
Squash beetle larvae feed on the underside of leaves, whereas the adults may feed on either surface, or sometimes on the skin of the vegetable itself, leaving behind a spiral-shaped injury.
TREATMENTS / SOLUTIONS:
There are no good organic commercial treatments for squash beetles that I know of.
- Early prevention is best by finding and removing adults, eggs, and larvae
- Knock them into soapy water
SQUASH VINE BORERS
FOUND ON: Squash
CHARACTERISTICS:
- Adult is a red and black moth that looks like a wasp because it has clear wings
- Lays a single brown, round, and slightly flat egg, usually at the base of the plant but can often targets leaves, stems, and blossoms as well
- Larvae is a white grub that burrows into the plant, making them hard to see
- Pupates under ground in a cycle, emerging to leave brown chrysalis shell behind
WHAT THEY DO:
Larvae burrow into the plant’s stem and feed on the insides, often traveling down to the main base of the stem where they cut off pathways to nutrients and water, usually killing the plant.
TREATMENTS / SOLUTIONS:
- Early prevention is best by finding and removing eggs and larvae (packing tape works great to get the eggs)
- Wrap the base of the plant in foil or athletic tape
- Look for areas of the plant that are chewed into, leaving behind “frass” (looks like sawdust)
- Remove leaves near damage and cut into the plant to find the grub
- Bury any exposed stems to try and force new roots so the plant has more support
- Bt organic insecticide spray – DIRECT PRODUCT LINK HERE
- SVB sticky traps with pheromones attract the male wasps – DIRECT PRODUCT LINK HERE
CROSS-STRIPED CABBAGE WORM
FOUND ON: Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards)
CHARACTERISTICS:
- Small black, striped caterpillar with yellow sides.
WHAT THEY DO:
They feed on the undersides of leaves, leaving the clear upper epidermis of the leaf intact creating a “windowpane” effect.
TREATMENTS / SOLUTIONS:
- Cover your crops in a row cover or netting to deter moths
- Early prevention is best by finding and removing eggs and larvae
- Bt organic insecticide spray – DIRECT PRODUCT LINK HERE
BEAN LEAFROLLER SKIPPER
FOUND ON: Legumes
CHARACTERISTICS:
- Green caterpillars with yellow stripes and black speckling, with a rather large brown head and a distinct neck.
- Generally found rolling up in bean leaves
- Adult is the longtailed skipper.
WHAT THEY DO:
The bean leafroller caterpillar stage feeds on legumes, where it rolls the leaf up and feeds within that shelter. Look for ragged and rolled up leaves.
TREATMENTS / SOLUTIONS:
- This is a minor pest that usually doesn’t cause too much issue in my experience.
LEAFFOOTED BUGS
FOUND ON: Mostly nightshades (tomato, eggplant, peppers), but can go after other crops
CHARACTERISTICS:
- Eggs are brown and laid in a single row along a stem or leaf. They are cylindrical and closely laid end to end.
- Young nymphs look almost like large red ants, but include black legs and markings.
- Adult beetles are black with a yellow/white stripe and a leaf-shaped area on their legs, hence the name.
WHAT THEY DO:
They have piercing-sucking mouthparts that allow them to feed on plant parts, but they especially like ripening fruit, causing premature color break and fruit drop.
TREATMENTS / SOLUTIONS:
- Early prevention is best by finding and removing adults, eggs, and nymphs.
- Knock them into soapy water.