Marianne's Response

Stink bugs and squash bugs

I’m having problems with red beetles on my lilies, and when the yellow squash comes out I have squash bugs. They kill anything that has to do with a squash or pumpkin plants, etc. Last year the same and the year before. I’ve tried lots of different ways to get rid of them, please help me I’ve tried natural and poison and they still ate my plants and killed my squash. Please help???

Posted by Mogorman on June 7, 2016

Marianne's Response

Sounds like you have an infestation of stink bugs and squash bugs. There is an Ortho product called Ortho Bug B Gone that controls these pests on both flowers and listed edibles but first try these ideas: Plant squashes that are resistant to squash bugs such as the butternut and Royal acorn squash. For a few years try not to grow the member of the mustard family that attracts these bugs - that would be mustard greens, broccoli, cabbage and radish. Good fall cleanup and a weed free garden will get rid of many over wintering eggs and check the back of the leaves for barrel shaped groups of eggs and destroy these in the spring. You can also try attracting them to a trap crop such as nasturtiums to lure them away from your lilies and squash. Don't give up hope - insect pests come and go in waves so just because you have a problem for a few years does not mean you'll be plagued by this every year. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti