What’s eating my squash leaves?

Asked by: Sam Gooden

Squash bugs (Anasa tristis) are one of the most common insect pests found on squash and pumpkins in the home garden.

What is eating my zucchini at night?

Cutworms



Cutworms are the larvae of a variety of different species of miller moths and they are active at night. While the presence of the adults in your garden is no big deal, the cutworm larvae can chew through the stems of plants and kill them.

What animal eats zucchini in the garden?

Raccoons, skunks, rabbits, rats, and groundhogs are all attracted to zucchini blossoms. If you find sharp, smooth, and angled damage usually low on the plant, you have bunny damage. An uneven, ragged cut characterizes deer damage.

What can I spray on my zucchini to keep bugs away?

An all-purpose homemade spray to successfully control most zucchini insect enemies is made using garlic, onion, hot peppers, water and liquid soap. After steeping the vegetables in water for an hour, strain, add 1 tablespoon of the soap and mix well before spraying.

What is eating my squash and zucchini?

Squash bugs are another common pest of zucchini. Nymphs are greenish gray and adults are brownish gray. Female squash bugs lay copious quantities of bronze colored eggs on the underside of leaves. Feeding causes speckled yellowish brown leaves, wilting, stunted runners, distorted or dead fruit.

Do rodents eat zucchini?

Any of the dark, green leafy vegetables are excellent options for your rat. Broccoli, cucumber, zucchini and asparagus are also good choices. Offer bits of pumpkin and squash when available.

What is eating my plants at night?

Wildlife that feed at night include rabbits, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, voles, woodchucks, groundhogs, and skunks. They do a lot of damage. But so do insects. Nighttime feeding insects include caterpillars, Mexican bean beetles, flea beetles, Japanese beetles, the tarnished plant bug, and slugs.

How do you get rid of squash bugs naturally?

The best and most eco-friendly way to kill squash bugs is by hand (or foot). Drop them immediately into a jar or similar container filled with soapy water. They cannot escape and will drown. You can scrape squash bug eggs from the underside of leaves and dispose of them or drop them into the same soapy water.

How do you keep squash bugs away?

Nasturtium, a vining plant with edible leaves and flowers, is said to repel squash bugs. Interplanting nasturtium with your cucurbits as a companion plant may keep squash bugs away. Floating row cover installed over squash seedlings will deny squash bugs the opportunity to lay their eggs — at least in your garden.

Do coffee grounds keep squash bugs away?

Coffee Grounds



A simple DIY organic squash bug control method is making use of coffee grounds. Boil coffee grounds in water and let the solution cool before spraying it onto the bugs. This spray also repels cucumber beetles and other zucchini plant bugs.

What do you spray on squash bugs?

The most effective products for adults were cyhalothrin (Spectracide Triazicide) and cyfluthrin (BioAdvanced Vegetable & Garden Insect Spray). It is especially critical to reduce the overwintering population of squash bugs by working the soil and/or removing foliage and fruit immediately after harvest.

Do onions repel squash bugs?

There are probably as many variations on these “old” repellent recipes that use chiles, onions and garlic as there are gardeners. They work to repel rather than kill, so you’ll still need to continue your “seek and destroy” program.

Do cedar chips repel squash bugs?

Using cedar mulch can also help to deter them as they do not like the smell. Making a tea out of cedar and putting it into a squirt bottle can help deter them as well. Put cedar chips into a pot of hot water. Boil for about 15 minutes or so, the longer the better.

Do petunias keep squash bugs away?

Petunias can help to repel tomato hornworms, aphids, leafhoppers, squash bugs, and asparagus beetles. They require very little maintenance, so add them to into garden beds, hanging baskets, and containers.

Does garlic get rid of squash bugs?

Garlic Juice Concentrate for Squash Bugs. This recipe should kill the squash bugs, not just drive them off.

Do marigolds keep squash bugs away?

Companion planting is also worth a try, using repellent plants that deter the squash bug. They include catnip, tansy, radishes, nasturtiums, marigolds, bee balm and mint.

What kills squash bugs and their eggs?

Neem oil coats the surface of the squash bug eggs, rendering them less likely to hatch into adults, and it will kill off both the new nymphs and mature adults. Some gardeners use Neem oil mixed with baking soda as a prevention for squash bugs and also to treat powdery mildew.

Do squash bugs eat tomatoes?

It would be highly unusual for squash bugs to attack tomatoes and pole beans, so let’s do an ID check. Adult squash bugs are around half-an-inch long, brownish-black, flat-backed, elongated and covered with fine hairs. If Jackie’s creatures are less elongated and more shield shaped, she may have stinkbugs instead.

How do you trap a squash bug?

They will then seek shelter under the trap boards you have placed on the ground mix 32 ounces hot water with 1 and 3/4 cups of dish soap pour mixture into a spray bottle.

What is a natural predator of squash bugs?

The Tachinid fly is a natural squash bug predator. Organic gardeners plant carrots and flowers such as Queen Anne’s lace near squash plants to attract these natural predators to the vegetable garden. Adult Tachinid flies lay eggs on the squash bugs, and the larvae consume squash bugs as food.

What is squash bug season?

The females usually start appearing in gardens in early June and continue to lay eggs through mid-summer. Eggs hatch in about 10 days, and nymphs mature in about four to six weeks. Both adults and nymphs hide under leaves when disturbed.

What is the difference between stink bugs and squash bugs?

Often, squash bugs and stink bugs are mistaken for each other. They are similar in shape and both bugs have a disagreeable odor when crushed. However, stink bugs possess the name because they can also give off this odor when disturbed. Stink bugs are wider and rounder than squash bugs.

How do pumpkin farmers deal with squash bugs?

Thankfully, there are some safe, non-chemical methods to treat for squash bugs. Neem oil is derived from an evergreen tree, by pressing its fruit and nuts into vegetable oil that repels most insects. Row covers also protect crops by creating a physical barrier.