Squash bug
Anasa tristis
1 host plant
Last updated
Data Coverage 1 of 6 dimensions
Adults are flat, dark brown bugs about half an inch long, congregating on the undersides of squash, pumpkin, and melon leaves. Nymphs are gray and wingless. Look for small yellow to brown specks on leaves that expand into large dead patches; affected leaves wilt suddenly due to the squash bugs' toxic saliva. Appears in vegetable gardens from June onward.
Hand-pick egg clusters (distinctive orange-brown masses) on leaf undersides before they hatch. Place cardboard traps under plants at night to collect aggregating bugs. Remove plant debris and mulch after harvest to eliminate overwintering sites. Use spinosad targeting early nymphs for best results.
Quick Reference
Order
Hemiptera
Type
sucking-insect
Host Plants
1
Cultural Controls
- Hand-pick and destroy eggs, nymphs, and adults.
- Clean up debris in the fall to remove hiding places for overwintering squash bugs.