Does anybody know what the heck this bug is? I've seen millions of them in my yard over the last couple of days. Can I assume that this thing is responsible for the spotted leaves on the plant its hanging out on?
Since I didn't know what this was I couldn't look for an organic remedy for it, so I made one up. Here's what I did.
- Dissolve 325 mg aspirin in water
- Add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Add 1 tablespoon dish detergent
- Hose down entire kitchen garden
I sure hope I didn't kill my entire garden. If you know what this bug is and you have them in your garden, how do you get rid of them and what kind of damage do they do?
That is the dreaded Squash Vine Borer. I hate them as they ravish my zucchini and squash every year. If you have seen them a lot, it is probably already too late - check the base of your vines for holes and mushiness. They lay eggs inside the vine where it goes into the ground and their larvae weaken the stem as they grow, then the vine starts to die back. I have trouble with these every year and they have become my archnemesis in my garden. They fly like wasps, but are actually moths and have a red body with black spots. There are a few home cures for getting rid of the larvae, including cutting open the vine and removing them, then surgically sealing it back up, I have never had a lot of luck with that. I usually try to get what zucchini I can before the plant dies and then just say a little prayer for the fallen plant. :)
ReplyDeleteholy crap, gina from ohio! i read a post about these things and I remember being horrified at the pictures the blogger posted where she disected them out of the plant. I'm so NOT doing that! do they eat other stuff? If they destroy my tomatoes then IT'S ON!
ReplyDeleteFortunately, squash vine borers have no interest in your tomatoes, but watch out for the tomato hornworms!
ReplyDeleteCarol, May Dreams Gardens