Squash Bug

insect

Anasa tristis

Dark brown shield-shaped bug that sucks sap from squash and pumpkin, causing wilt.

Identification

5/8 inch dark brown to gray, flat, shield-shaped. Copper-brown eggs laid in clusters on leaf undersides.

Yellow spots that turn brown (anasa wilt). Wilting and death of vines. Plants may not recover once heavily infested.

Hand-pick adults and crush eggs. Boards as traps (bugs hide underneath at night). Neem oil. Diatomaceous earth.

Carbaryl (Sevin) on nymphs. Permethrin. Adults are very difficult to control chemically.

Crop rotation. Remove crop debris. Resistant squash varieties (Butternut more resistant than zucchini). Companion plant with nasturtium.

Data confidence: medium | Source: curated_ipm