Funny Squash Bug Problem!

GloriaG 6/7/2013, 10:37 am

OK - I've had a problem with squash bugs for the last month or so. I've been hand picking, and using DE, but the little nymphs are too fast for me and I always miss some.

I remembered that several forum members talked about using cordless hand-held vacuums to pick them up.

Sooooo.......... yesterday I bought a B&D wet/dry dustbuster! Charged it overnight and tried it this morning. It worked unexpectedly well and I was able to catch all the nymphs as well as the adults I found.

BUT - now what do I do? I can see all the squash bugs walking around inside the vacuum canister and I'm afraid to open it because they might escape.

CapeCoddess 6/7/2013, 1:00 pm

Ew, gruesome. How about dumping into a pail of soapy water?

CC

Lemonie 6/7/2013, 3:21 pm

Hmm...vacuum up a little DE? Way to go!

**donnainzone5** 6/7/2013, 3:23 pm

Clever idea, Lemonie!

GloriaG 6/7/2013, 5:14 pm

I thought about DE, but wasn't sure since it's a wet/dry vac and I did get some moisture inside as I vacuumed this morning.

Didn't think about dumping them into soapy water. But rather than opening it, maybe I could vacuum up a little insecticidal soap solution.

mschaef 6/7/2013, 11:56 pm

Since it is a wet/dry vacuum why not vacuum up some soapy water to sink them, just a thought. I don't have a wet/dry vacuum but by the title it seems like that should work.

GloriaG 6/8/2013, 12:10 am

I made up a little soapy water with some insecticidal soap I had on hand and vacuumed it up. It seems to have worked. The squash bugs are no longer crawling around inside the vacuum canister.

Tomorrow, I'm going to clean it all out. Then, I'll make up a spray bottle of the soap solution so I can spray the inside of the vacuum before I start sweeping up the bugs.

Thanks for everyone's help.
Gloria

Triciasgarden 6/8/2013, 11:56 am

That was smart to get a wet/dry vacuum instead of just a dry one!

cheyannarach 6/8/2013, 8:27 pm

This just cracked me up! What a great idea!

GloriaG 6/8/2013, 10:01 pm

Thanks,

This morning I only found a few small nymphs, no adults. So, it looks like it's really working.
Now, I'm wondering if it will also work on other insects.

Gloria

Lemonie 6/9/2013, 1:35 pm

So now you've got me seriously considering this since squash bugs and cuke beetles undo me every year. All I've got is a very loud shop vac....hubs and the neighbors are definitely going to be giving me funny looks when I'm out there in the early morning vacuuming my garden. crazy!

That's ok, it's all worth it in the end, right? rock on

Triciasgarden 6/9/2013, 6:00 pm

I agree Lemonie about the noise of the shop vac but who cares. It's no louder than a leaf blower! I would probably vacuum up the plant and the insects would fly away, lol! That made me think, it sounds like a good idea to use the shop vac to vacuum up weed seeds like dandelions and fox tails.

quiltbea 6/9/2013, 6:07 pm

This sure sounds like a great idea. I'll have to see if a purchase can be added to my monthly budget.

Lindacol 6/9/2013, 6:13 pm

GloriaG wrote:OK - I've had a problem with squash bugs for the last month or so. I've been hand picking, and using DE, but the little nymphs are too fast for me and I always miss some.

I remembered that several forum members talked about using cordless hand-held vacuums to pick them up.

Sooooo.......... yesterday I bought a B&D wet/dry dustbuster! Charged it overnight and tried it this morning. It worked unexpectedly well and I was able to catch all the nymphs as well as the adults I found.

BUT - now what do I do? I can see all the squash bugs walking around inside the vacuum canister and I'm afraid to open it because they might escape.

So which model did you get? Sounds like something I'd like to try.

GloriaG 6/9/2013, 8:39 pm

I got the Black & Decker CWV9610 Dustbuster 9.6-Volt Wet and Dry Cordless Hand Vac. Here's a link to one on Amazon for $30. But you might try locally, I got mine from HD.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004G91ZOG/ref=s9_simh_gw_p201_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1KTD881GRWRNRAE2PVM9&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846

It's small enough to be convenient and isn't very noisy. Also, seems to work well.

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Funny Squash Bug Problem!