Removing Squash Bug Eggs

Removing

Squash Bug (Anasa tristis) Eggs

07/2014 Baxter St. Gardener

The other day I was out in the garden crushing Squash Bug eggs with my fingers and my Leatherman pliers.  That night I had a thought, “What if I were to use Duck-Tape to lift these eggs off the plant???” 

The next day I thought I would give this idea a try. I tore off about a 2 inch by 2 inch (5 cm X 5 cm) square of Duck-tape to try this.

I firmly placed the Duck-tape over the Squash Bug eggs and lifted the eggs off the plant.I found that removing the eggs off flat surfaces, like the tops of the squash leaves and stems were easy. 

Lifting the eggs off the underside of the leaves, in the crevasses along the vanes, was a little more difficult. To remove the eggs in the crevasses I found I needed to fold the tape and press it in the crevasses to lift them off.

I have done this a couple of times now and found that I don’t damage the leaves as much removing the eggs this way.  When I am finished, I just fold over the tape with the eggs stuck to it, and throw it all away.

No hatching eggs, less future Squash Bug problems and no insecticides!