Went out to get some fresh veggies for lunch two days ago, and there were MASSES of these grey beetles on my zucchini plants, and the leaves were turning brown and curling under. The beetles are grey with black legs, heads and antennae. They are tear-drop shape, with a bulbous backside, and range from almost an inch long, to a tiny fraction of an inch, and everything inbetween. Also, there are bronzy-red shiny egg clusters UNDER the healthy leaves. I have been spraying them down with Concern insecticidal soap, and that has been dropping the ones that I see, and crushing the egg clusters with a gloved finger when I see them, but those plants were huge and thick. There were a lot more bugs this morning. I know I am missing some. I thought about cutting out the effected leaves and burning them. My book doesn't have them, and I don't think they are blister beetles--the markings aren't the same. WHAT are they???? And is there anything else I can do?

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), August 26, 2000

Answers

Squash bug nymphs. They're almost impossible to get rid of organically. I've tried everthing everyone has suggested. Indiana has more than their share of them.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), August 26, 2000.

Squash bugs. God, I hate 'em! There are plenty of powders on the market to kill them. Don't know about organic methods for these guys.

-- Shannon (Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary) (gratacres@aol.com), August 27, 2000.

The description of tear-shaped and bulbous sounds more like a blister beetle. B.B. can have different markings. If so be very careful about them getting on bare skin. They were in my tomato plants last year, unbeknownst to me, and I came up with several blisters 1/2 inch long. try to catch one in a jar and show it to local gardener or county ext. agent. They could tell you for sure.

If it is sqash bugs (which was my first guess till I read the description) the best way to get rid of them is MONEY. I paid my boys 10 cents for everyone they caught and put in a bucket with water and soap. Worked great!! Then I followed their picking with a dusting of rotenone before they bloomed. Rotenone (organic)will kill anything so if the plants are blooming it may kill the bees, etc.

I actually save the plants from the squash bugs (a first!!!) but now they are dying of drought and heat. Oh, the joys of gardening.

-- Vaughn (vdcjm5@juno.com), August 27, 2000.

Squash bugs!They are horrible!I garden organically,so when I discovered them on my Zuch.,I used pyola(pyrethrins with canola oil) to no avail.I've used rotenone-to no avail.No stuffed Zuch.or zuch. bread for me(boohoohoo).If you find out how to get rid of them,please let me know too.I may try Vaughb's idea when my kids are older... Blessings,~~~Tracy~~~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), August 29, 2000.

Vaughn, I've tried 1% and 5%, spray and powdered Rotenon one squash bugs, doesn't work. I've picked them off and their shiny little eggs and the nymphs, temporary help. If it's squash in Indiana, It's squash bugs.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), August 29, 2000.