How do I defeat the stink bugs (aka squash beetles) in my garden?

1. 88

   DonnaCosmatoposted 13 years ago

   How do I defeat the stink bugs (aka squash beetles) in my garden?
   
   What are some organic ways to keep squash beetles (aka stink bugs) from consuming my garden harvest before I can?

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2. 80

   Harlan Coltposted 13 years ago

   There are several ways. I prefer something I can mix at home and use. Try 10-15 cigarettes crushed into half a gallon of water. Let it stew for a day or so, then strain the water with a coffee filter into a spray bottle. Add a teaspoon of dish soap and then spray the little buggers when you see them. Also you can vacuum them off your plants too. If you do that just toss them in some soapy water and they will parish quickly.
   
   Diatomaceous Earth works on them too. They hard part is finding their little eggs hiding somewhere and you will never find them all. However, I just noticed as I am writing this, there are about 3 hubs on the "related hubs" list addressing this very issue.
   Good luck with those stink bugs.
   - Harlan

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3. 89

   The Dirt Farmerposted 13 years ago

   Donna, you could also try removing the eggs and bugs by hand. Then put a floating row cover over your plants. The cover can stay on until the squash starts to bloom and pollinators are required. Good luck!

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4. 60

   LaniKposted 12 years ago

   You need to identify exactly what kind of beetle you're dealing with.  Take a good, hard look and analyze the pesky vermin.  Type "stink bug" and "squash beetle" into google images and see if you find a photo of your culprit.  Once you find a few identified with the same name, you can be fairly sure that is what you have.
   Next, do a little research about that insect.  What are it's natural predators?  What does it eat?  What is it's life cycle?  I wrote an article telling about the cucumber beetle and how to attract it's natural predators (http://lanik.hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Ri … n-Pumpkins).  It takes a little now-how of the way nature works, and a lot of research.  Hope you get to the bottom of it!

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5. 0

   HERBERT ubaldoposted 12 years ago

   Just apply liquid to fight those bugs in your garden. You can buy economical but effective one..

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