Discover how to get rid of squash bugs, which look like stink bugs, with a natural, organic spray that will kill egg, nymph, and adult squash bugs without hurting precious pollinators.
Squash Bugs in the Garden
Hidden Heights Farm is only complete with a thriving garden. We love experimenting and learning different gardening techniques, such as building raised garden beds, growing strawberries hydroponically, and using garden rows for planting corn.
We lead a busy life, so we implement every advantage to save time, like installing an automatic drip watering system, using a Troy Built tiller to fertilize sweet corn, and learning vermicomposting to make nutrient-rich compost tea.
It can feel so discouraging to have all of this work destroyed by pests, so it’s best to take a proactive approach to get to the root of the problem (no pun intended) if you notice early signs of an infestation.
We try to use safe and natural practices with our garden where we can since we eat the food we grow. Because we raise chickens, ducks, geese, goats and more, some of our animals eat the parts of the plants that we can’t eat.
Additionally, we raise honey bees to extract honey and help our garden and plant life in our area with pollination. So, we also strive to use bee-safe farming methods when treating pests or diseases, like fire blight in the orchard.
What Are Squash Bugs
Squash bugs feed on varieties of squash, zucchini, and pumpkin. Sometimes, they eat cucumbers, watermelon, and cantaloupe, too. They suck the sap from the stems and leaves of these plants, prohibiting the squash plants from receiving the vital nutrients it needs.
Squash Bug Damage
When squash bugs begin feeding on plants, yellow spots appear on the leaves. These spots eventually turn brown. The plants will look wilted, bent over, dry, and crispy.
Prevent Squash Bugs
Since squash bugs winter over in old plant debris, prevention includes cleaning up vegetable gardens after the harvest.
Before winter hits, clean up all dead plant debris and add it to your compost pile or till the dead plants into the soil. Don’t leave any squash, pumpkin leaves, or other plant parts in the garden over winter because this debris will attract squash bugs.
Companion planting can also help repel squash bugs. Do your own research, but calendula, marigolds, and garlic may help deter squash bugs.
Controlling Squash Bugs
If you notice just a few squash bugs, pull them off the plant and drop them into a bucket of soapy water or dispose of them in another way. Some people use dish soap. If you notice any eggs on the undersides of the leaves, remove them and crush them.
If you have a lot of squash bugs, spray them with a Neem oil solution. Squash bugs love new plants and new growth. Be diligent early on in the growing season by examining your plants and checking the undersides of the leaves for any eggs.
If you see signs, you must kill squash bugs before they take over more plants in your garden.
Identifying Squash Bugs
Squash bugs are easy to identify when you know what you are looking for.
- Eggs – Squash bug eggs look small, brownish-red, and shiny. You can find them in rows or clusters on the underside of the squash or zucchini leaf. Usually, squash bugs lay eggs in groups or clusters of 15-40.
- Nymphs – These spider-like nymphs look brownish or gray with black legs. Squash bug nymphs are easier to kill than adult squash bugs.
- Adults – Adult squash bugs often get mistaken for stink bugs. They have similar flat bodies with long legs and long antennae. They come in shades of dark gray or dark brown with orange and brown stripes on the abdomen. They grow to about ⅝ inches in length.
Why Am I Getting Squash Bugs
If you are getting squash bugs in your garden, they have found an excellent hiding spot for the winter. Squash bugs hide in old garden debris, under rotting wood edges, or dead leaves.
If you experience squash bugs, you need to clean up the debris in your garden. Instead of layering dead leaves or other organic matter on top of your garden beds before winter, till the organic matter into the soil.
Better yet, add all the old plants, dead stems, leaves, and all garden debris after the harvest to your home composting system. This way, you are keeping your garden clean all the while preparing healthy compost for your garden next year.
Supplies Needed
- Spray Bottle – Use any spray bottle; the larger, the better.
- Water – Use water to dilute the soap and Neem oil.
- Neem Oil – Neem oil comes from a type of evergreen tree. They harvest the nut, grind it up, and press the oil from it to make neem oil. We use organic neem oil purchased from Amazon.
- Liquid Peppermint Castile Soap – We used Dr. Bronner’s organic peppermint soap that we ordered from Amazon. The soap breaks the surface tension of the water and allows the oil to mix into the water.
How to Get Rid of Squash Bugs
- Add 16 oz. (or 2 cups) of water to a spray bottle.
- Add 1 tsp. of Neem oil and 1 tsp. of liquid peppermint Castile soap.
- Tightly close the top of the spray bottle.
- Shake vigorously to blend the Neem oil evenly into the solution.
- Spray your plants with the Neem oil solution. Spray the tops and undersides of the leaves, stems, soil, garden beds, and everything. Pro-Tip: Apply a small amount of your homemade solution to one plant to test if it burns the plant. Too much Neem oil can damage the plant.
- As you spray your plants, squash bugs will scatter, and many will die instantly.
- Wait a few days to see the full effects. The bugs will disappear, and your plants will start to bounce back.
We hope you find this Neem oil solution helpful in the unfortunate event you find squash bugs in your home garden. The more success we have in creating our own food sources, the more we promote self-sustainability and our family’s overall health.
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