Cucumber beetles are one of the most thwarting pests because they eat on your plants at all ends . They devour everything from the root to the fruit , and they transport a mountain chain of diseases that have the electric potential to kill your plant . It ’s a double curse .
Getting rid of these gadfly is a little easy than other pests because pesticide are effective against them , but that does n’t think of you want to use those immediately . preventive measures and organic discourse are also utile at control population .
If you desire to learn about their lifecycle and how to get rid of cuke beetle , keep reading .
What are Cucumber Beetles?
Cucumber beetles are small insectsthat like to chew through the stems of seedlings and eat kettle of fish throughout your works . Several different types know throughout the United States , and they feed on different plants .
For example , the stripy cucumber mallet feeds entirely on cucurbit plants , such as cucumbers , squash , pumpkin , and watermelons . spy cucumber beetle prey on other plant as well as cucurbit . It ’s possible to assure them apart simply by what they eat in your garden , but they also have unlike mark and coloring .
These picayune gadfly cause a lot of damage to your plants , from the beginning to the fruit . They also diffuse bacterial diseases and viruses from plant to plant , such as :
How to Identify Cucumber Beetles
Since there are several different variety of cucumber beetles , it ’s authoritative to recall that their coloring and markings might be dissimilar .
Here are a few identifying mark .
Striped Cucumber Beetle
Spotted Cucumber Beetle
These pests lay cluster of testicle under or on top of crack , common soil . expect for bunch of yellow to orange , ellipse - forge eggs on your soil . However , recognize beetle prefer to place eggs in squiffy , coarse soil , and striped beetle like to lay eggs around the al-Qa’ida of your plant .
The Lifecycle of Cucumber Beetles
Starting mid - April to early June , the beetles start to leave their hibernating sites , eat on seedling as soon as they emerge . They ’re profound birdfeeder , so they shoot down the seedlings once they start to munch . Then , the larvae provender on the plant ’ root word until the trivial critters are large enough to emerge from the soil .
By August and September , the cucumber beetles are in the adult stage . At this point , they feed on the entire plant , including the vine and yield . Nothing is safe when they ’re adult .
It ’s important to mention that cucumber beetles overwinter in the weeds , garden dust , and woody area around your garden . If they ’re carrying diseases , the disease also winter , and the pests can spread them in the next springiness .
Signs of a Cucumber Beetle Infestation
Identifying the equipment casualty because of these pest is a short soft than name them in the garden . The larvae feed on cucurbit ascendant , but the substantial damage comes when the adult bulge out to feed on the full plant . They eat the leaves , stems , vine , and fruit , stunt the growth of the plant .
They also fertilize on the heyday , and this reduce yield output dramatically . Most of the time , these pestis wo n’t be the only thing that vote out your plants ; they spread diseases along with them .
So , a few sign of a cucumber beetle infestation include :
How to Prevent Cucumber Beetles in Your Garden
The sound defense against cucumber vine beetle ( and any pest ) is to prevent them from taking over your garden from the start . bar is a fate easier than getting free of pestilence once they take over and start to breed rapidly .
Try these respectable gardening practice to prevent these hard pests from taking over your garden .
1. Till in the Fall
Tilling your garden in the fall expose any cucumber beetles hiding in the grunge to overwinter the approaching rough conditions . check that you till late in the fall when it ’s cold and close to wintertime - like temperature . The stipulation will deoxidize the population for the next year . Also , remove any garden detritus leftover from the crepuscle harvesting .
2. Rotate Crops
It ’s best to rotate craw so that cucurbits ( cucumbers , pumpkins , squash , watermelons , or sweet melon ) are n’t in the same stain year after twelvemonth . commemorate , the cucumber mallet prefer cucurbit crops like cucumbers and courgette , so if you move their location each horticulture season , they ’re less potential to visit .
3. Plant Trap Crops
You might have to give a few of your plant to the beetles , but planting a few cucurbit variety at the perimeter of your garden keep the pestilence from migrating to the harvest home industrial plant you want to keep . Losing two or three plant is good than losing all of them . If the plants become overrun , cut into them out of the garden and burn them . Do n’t put them into your compost .
4. Plant Late
If your expanse skin with cucumber pest regularly , one uncomplicated trick is to plant later on than usual . Wait until the beetles emerge from the territory and then found in your garden .
Cucumber beetle are right at finding the fragile seedling in your garden when they make out out of hibernation . If they are n’t there when they emerge , they think that you do n’t have the plants they want to eat , and they move off to the next garden to terrorise .
5. Companion Plant
Another trick that you may use is companion planting . Add flowers to your vegetable garden to deter plague from the plants you want to keep . Companion planting is a smart method acting to use in your total garden to keep the pests away .
Radishes , tansy , and nasturtium are all know to drive cucumber beetles . Plant these among and around your cucurbits .
6. Inspect Plants Regularly
cuss infestations are easiest to get rid of when you watch them early . Look at your seedlings for any mark of damage . Look over your plants for chewed leaves , petals , and fruits . Monitoring closely will allow you to take quick steps .
7. Use Row Covers
Put row covers over your plants in the fountain to prevent any visiting beetles drom reach your plants in the first station . Just think of that you ’ll need to remove the covers when bloom have shape to allow pollenation to happen .
you may also pass on - pollinate your plants and leave the covers in place full - fourth dimension . find out cover in our guide .
How to Get Rid of Cucumber Beetles in Your Garden
After you identify cucumber beetle in your garden , you have to get rid of them . They ’ll continue to rise in universe and step by step kill your plants . It ’s not smart to let them stick without figuring out how to get rid of a cucumber vine beetle infestation .
Here are some suggestions .
1. Use Sticky Traps
One of the first tricks that you could strain is to place chickenhearted gluey traps throughout your garden . As the pests move from plant to set , these trap catch them and other pestis . Plus , they ’re so cheap ; a loge of 10 traps costs less than $ 3 . It ’s worth try out .
2. Hand Pick or Use a Small Vacuum
Next , try handpicking the pests off of the plants . It ’s hard to handpick them , so if you want to try , wear yellow gloves that are coated in oil jelly to help keep a hold of these pests . Some citizenry knock them off onto a waiting piece of composition board and grab them from there .
If you do n’t want to hand pick , try using a small handheld vacuum to suck up the beetles instead .
3. Release Beneficial Insects
Releasing natural predators into your garden is another born elbow room to get disembarrass of these pests without spray any harmful chemicals in your garden . good insects like braconid wasps , nematodes , and soldier beetles take charge of cucumber vine beetles for you .
4. Use Insecticides
Gardeners may also use insecticide to control cucumber beetles , but think that using toxic chemicals in your garden also kills natural predators and beneficial bugs . It should be a last - ditch endeavor to store your plant from demolition .
Using insecticides to get disembarrass of cucumber beetles is a multi - step process because you have to get disembarrass of both the grownup and larva , or the infestation will continue . Spray plants each week for two to three week in mid - natural spring when you note that the pestilence emerge from the soil .
Then , you must treat the plant in the early summer to pour down off any of the emerging cucumber beetle larvae . In the tardy summertime , spray again to kill any adults you might have missed with you sprayed the larva .
Cucumber beetle are a frustrating pest because they lash out plants at all sides and impart diseases . gratefully , it ’s easy to prevent these pests , and you have several way to get rid of them before they bolt down your plants .
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