The War on Squash Bugs

Squash bugs are a member of the Coreidae family which also includes bedbugs! They

have been a gardener's #1 enemy this summer!  I have always had some, but never like this year!  Everyone I know has had them.  I always battle them awhile before they finally take down my zucchini squash.  This year they destroyed my four plants before they produced even one squash!  That was not insult enough.  They started in on my sweet success cucumbers!  Little by little my beautiful vines were reduced to a pile of brown leaves.  

Hatching eggs on the underneath leaf side

Immature squash bugs

Most of us know that Seven insecticide does not phase an adult squash bug.  That heavy shell on their back protects them.  It will slow down baby squash bugs.  I was diligent in picking the adults off and destroying them.  I removed  any leaves that had eggs layed on the underneath side.  I dusted Seven to get those young ones.  I should have saved my time and energy for another chore.  The squash bugs quickly won.

A fellow Master Gardener told me about a product called Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth.  It is basically ground sedimentary rock particles.  The squash bugs eat it and ..... they croak!  They don't even live long enough to lay those hundreds of eggs!  If applied early it will not come into contact with your vegetables but if it should, the dust can simply be washed off without harm. If you google the product you will see that it is safe for humans to actually eat.  The harm is in breathing it.   I was very careful not to breath the dust as I applied it.  Common sense says not to inhale rock particles.  

I bought a bag of it from Amazon.  I also bought an inexpensive "duster" to apply it.  Next, I replanted my cucumbers and zucchini.  I also replanted in different locations.  Once the plants were up and going, I dusted the leaves and the dirt around them.
I am harvesting zucchini and the cucumbers are blooming without a squash bug in sight!
 Victory!