This year we had a great pumpkin crop and melons. However when most of the
pumpkins were orange they became covered with these small stnk bugs. And I
do mean covered! They totally covered the pumpkins! The vines wilted ,the
pumpkins got mushy and their stems fell off! We managed to save 3-4
pumpkins! Then my husband cleaned up the patch and the bugs moved to our
melons and destroyed them! We've grown these things before without this
problem. Why this year are there sooo many? And how can we control them.
Esp. for next years crop. Is there something we could spray on the ground to
destroy any eggs for next year? I live in NE Pa. and perhaps our weather
this year made it a perfect enviroment for the bugs!! Help please!!

Bonnie

This year we had a great pumpkin crop and melons. However when most of the
pumpkins were orange they became covered with these small stnk bugs. And I
do mean covered! They totally covered the pumpkins! The vines wilted ,the
pumpkins got mushy and their stems fell off! We managed to save 3-4
pumpkins! Then my husband cleaned up the patch and the bugs moved to our
melons and destroyed them! We've grown these things before without this
problem. Why this year are there sooo many? And how can we control them.
Esp. for next years crop. Is there something we could spray on the ground to
destroy any eggs for next year? I live in NE Pa. and perhaps our weather
this year made it a perfect enviroment for the bugs!! Help please!!

Bonnie
These things overwinter so good sanitation helps. That means tilling down all
plant debris and sowing a cover crop in most instances. There are pesticides
available, Contact your local Ag extension agent for specific recoomendations
for your area. Or contact Penn State.

I've no idea if this will help kill eggs or where ever these miserable
things come from but I understand that Sevin is good at controlling
them. FWIW, they got to our pumpkins too and devestated the tiny crop
we had - totally! I get them in my Zuccini all the time and use water
to find them (amazingly quick) and fingers to 'squash' them pew!, no
pun intended but thats not feasible if you have a large area. I've
read all manner of companion planting and none of it has worked for me.
I've used Sevin in the past (more than 1 application will be needed)
when we had a larger Zuccini plot growing but now have just 4 plants so
doing it by hand is less hassle.

PLEASE OTHER LISTEES - SPARE ME YOUR ANTI INSECTICIDE VIEWS.

Bonnie wrote:

This year we had a great pumpkin crop and melons. However when most of the
pumpkins were orange they became covered with these small stnk bugs. And I
do mean covered! They totally covered the pumpkins! The vines wilted ,the
pumpkins got mushy and their stems fell off! We managed to save 3-4
pumpkins! Then my husband cleaned up the patch and the bugs moved to our
melons and destroyed them! We've grown these things before without this
problem. Why this year are there sooo many? And how can we control them.
Esp. for next years crop. Is there something we could spray on the ground to
destroy any eggs for next year? I live in NE Pa. and perhaps our weather
this year made it a perfect enviroment for the bugs!! Help please!!

Bonnie

Grandpa wrote in message ...
I've no idea if this will help kill eggs or where ever these miserable
things come from but I understand that Sevin is good at controlling
them. FWIW, they got to our pumpkins too and devestated the tiny crop
we had - totally! I get them in my Zuccini all the time and use water
to find them (amazingly quick) and fingers to 'squash' them pew!, no
pun intended but thats not feasible if you have a large area. I've
read all manner of companion planting and none of it has worked for me.
I've used Sevin in the past (more than 1 application will be needed)
when we had a larger Zuccini plot growing but now have just 4 plants so
doing it by hand is less hassle.

PLEASE OTHER LISTEES - SPARE ME YOUR ANTI INSECTICIDE VIEWS.

Bonnie wrote:

This year we had a great pumpkin crop and melons. However when most of the
pumpkins were orange they became covered with these small stnk bugs. And I
do mean covered! They totally covered the pumpkins! The vines wilted ,the
pumpkins got mushy and their stems fell off! We managed to save 3-4
pumpkins! Then my husband cleaned up the patch and the bugs moved to our
melons and destroyed them! We've grown these things before without this
problem. Why this year are there sooo many? And how can we control them.
Esp. for next years crop. Is there something we could spray on the ground to
destroy any eggs for next year? I live in NE Pa. and perhaps our weather
this year made it a perfect enviroment for the bugs!! Help please!!

Bonnie



Bonnie,

Based on what you've written, I'd say it's the dreaded squash bug!! I
had them in my squash and tried in vain to control them with hand
picking the bugs and squashing the eggs. After my squash, they moved
to the pumpkins, cantaloupes, and watermellons. I did get some of each
crop, but eventually they wiped me out! Next year I will keep a
watchful eye out and attack with the pesticide.

Grandpa,

You mention the companion planting. Did you try planting sweet
potatoes with the susceptible crops? I read somewhere that'll work.
Just wondering if that's worth a try.

Matt

Matt wrote:
snip

Grandpa,

You mention the companion planting. Did you try planting sweet
potatoes with the susceptible crops? I read somewhere that'll work.
Just wondering if that's worth a try.

No sir, didn't try that one, but darned near everything else. Squash
bugs have got to be one of the most detestible little bugs I've ever
seen. I wet the plants for maybe 6 seconds and they come running
(literally) out of the plants then I move in for the kill. They really
hate water! Years ago I did the Diazinon trick to them. It worked but
I was really uncomfortable eating the squash so I didn't do 'D' again.

Grandpa wrote in message ...
Matt wrote:
snip

Grandpa,

You mention the companion planting. Did you try planting sweet
potatoes with the susceptible crops? I read somewhere that'll work.
Just wondering if that's worth a try.

No sir, didn't try that one, but darned near everything else. Squash
bugs have got to be one of the most detestible little bugs I've ever
seen. I wet the plants for maybe 6 seconds and they come running
(literally) out of the plants then I move in for the kill. They really
hate water! Years ago I did the Diazinon trick to them. It worked but
I was really uncomfortable eating the squash so I didn't do 'D' again.

What you want is a trap crop that you can either till under or spray,
something the stink bugs prefer over your pumpkins squash or melons.
But you have to monitor the trap crop and act on it.
Here are some blurbs ripped off the University of Florida webpages.
Search terms used were stink bug trap crops.
When you look at these bugs the ones with spiky armored shoulders are
benneficial insects called assassin bugs-they can pierce fingers so
beware. Same family but different!

Biological Control
Biological control of the southern green stink bug is provided by
parasites, usually wasps and flies. In Florida a tachinid fly,
Trichopoda pennipes, parasitizes adults and nymphs, and a wasp,
Trissolcus basalis, parasitizes eggs. These two parasites have been
introduced as biological control agents in places such as Australia
and Hawaii to control the southern green stink bug. Recently
California used T. basalis in an effort to control its southern green
stink bug population.
Management
The use of trap crops is not a widely accepted idea for control of the
southern green stink bug but it has excellent potential as a type of
control. The choice for trap crops in the summer would be leguminous
plants such as cowpeas and beans. In the late fall and early spring
cruciferous plants are recommended. The trap crop should be sprayed or
plowed under before the developing southern green stink bugs become
adults to prevent them from migrating to the main crop. Insecticides
are commonly applied at blossom and fruit formation. Consult the
Florida Insect Management Guide for chemical controls.