Cucumber Beetle (Striped)
insectAcalymma vittatum
Yellow beetle with 3 black stripes. Major pest of cucurbits, transmits bacterial wilt disease.
Identification
1/4 inch yellow-green beetle with 3 black stripes on wing covers. Larvae are white grubs in soil.
Damage & Symptoms
Feeding damage on leaves, stems, and flowers. Scarring on fruits. Transmits bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphila) which is often fatal.
Organic Control
Row covers until flowering. Hand-pick. Yellow sticky traps. Kaolin clay. Companion plant with radish and tansy.
Chemical Control
Carbaryl (Sevin). Imidacloprid. Pyrethrin.
Prevention
Row covers. Crop rotation. Remove crop debris. Resistant varieties. Delay planting until beetle population peaks pass.
Data confidence: medium | Source: curated_ipm