BUGS - Can you identify? (squash & cukes)

[Rick K]

My Boston Pickling Cucumbers have lots of small bugs, along with a few larger ones, and after good production, they are starting to die. The leaves are now quite sticky.

My yellow straightneck squash have a variety of bugs. Production has been good, but they are looking worse as time goes on. The recently planted ones still look good, but that have the bugs too.

If anyone can help with the identity and the fix, I'd appreciate it.

All I've done is broadcast fertilize a little, then plant, and water. No other treatments. I'm in the Dallas, TX area. Have black clay dirt. Photos are at

lastly ... I have yellow straightneck and zucchini. The yellow produce very well, but the zucchini turn yellow when they get to about two inches. I water them all the same. It's hot here, so I hand water each plant well about every two days. No pesticides.

Thanks, Rick

[Deb Hayes]

Rick--I am afraid I can't tell you for sure, since I haven't finished the Master Gardener course, but it looks like the small, winged white bugs are whiteflies--number 9, that is...and I don't know what 3 and 8 are, although I believe they are two stages of the same critter. I think I have seen their larval stage in the bed where lives the zucchini from a previous post regarding zucchini leaves yellowing. It looked for all intents and purposes like a worm, or a mini-snake, but it was orange and dark striped.

I sure hope someone knows definitively, because I am still finding new bugs flying through and/or setting up housekeeping in my garden, after more than

30 years!

not much help, but my $.02

Deb

[maxsilverstar]

1 - Squash Bug eggs 2 - can't tell; possibly some kind of "true bug" 3 - Squash Vine Borer adult; a clear-wing moth that looks like a wasp 4 - Spotted Cucumber Beetle adult 5 - can't tell 6 - probably Squash Bug nymphs 7 - Squash Bug nymphs 8 - Ladybug (aka Lady Beetle) nymph 9 - can't tell; maybe White Fly and aphids?

I suggest you go to

input the various names given above. Since you've seen the actual critters you can probably verify (or reject) suggestions I and others have made.

[ToweringQs]

"1 - Squash Bug eggs

2 - can't tell; possibly some kind of "true bug" 3 - Squash Vine Borer adult; a clear-wing moth that looks like a wasp 4 - Spotted Cucumber Beetle adult 5 - can't tell 6 - probably Squash Bug nymphs 7 - Squash Bug nymphs 8 - Ladybug (aka Lady Beetle) nymph 9 - can't tell; maybe White Fly and aphids?"

I agree with Max for the ones he's identified.

#2 - harlequin bug #5 - not sure; maybe winged ants #9 - aphids and white fly

[BillHew]

Garrett Juice plus orange oil will kill all of the pests you have. Since you are in Dallas, you won't have a problem finding Garrett Juice in the stores. If you want to make your own, the recipe is at DirtDoctor.com.

Change to an organic program and have healthier plants with fewer pests. Not only that, but it's healthier for you and the envirnonment AND your crops will taste much better.

Rick K wrote: