Cucumber beetles!!!!!

laurainwinona 8/12/2011, 12:21 pm

Cucumber beetles are devouring my cucmber plants and have found the cantaloupe and watermelon, too, just as the cantaloupe was beginning to fruit. I was hoping to not have to spray anything so my kids and the neighbors' pets would be safe, so I tried making a homemade sticky trap. Couldn't find the sticky strips recommended in the directions I read, so I used fly paper, because it was all I could find. Caught one bug. Then it rained. I hope the trap survives. Next year I'll know to try planting nasturtiums next to the cucumbers, melons, and squash. For now, I may just have to go and buy the spray!

Anybody out there have any experience with non-chemical warfare on cucumber beetles??

laurainwinona 8/15/2011, 3:57 pm

The sticky trap is holding up, and has caught lots of bugs....everything except cucumber beetles. I stood and watched one cucumber beetle fly onto the trap, land on the fly paper, and manage to pull itself off, tumble down, crawl off the paper and sit there cleaning its legs and wings. Sigh. maybe I'll try knocking them off into a can of soapy water. Any suggestions?

**camprn** 8/15/2011, 7:08 pm

What if you placed the flypaper on a piece of yellow cardboard. I think, but not sure, the critters are attracted by the color.

laurainwinona 8/17/2011, 3:03 pm

Thanks, camprn. Yes, they are attracted to yellow. I have the fly paper on a yellow board with cotton balls soaked in clove oil, which they are supposedly attracted to.

laurainwinona 9/9/2011, 11:52 am

Gave up on the sticky trap. After catching every bug except what it was designed for, it fell over and broke part of the cantaloupe vine. (Fortunately, not part that had any fruit on it!) Mysteriously, after that, there seemed to be fewer cucumber beetles. Maybe they got the idea they weren't wanted and moved on. Smile

Chopper 9/9/2011, 1:51 pm

There is a product that is that sticky stuff for making your own. I wonder if you just slathered some on a cucumber if you would catch more that way? Might have to sacrifice the cuke, or it might wash/peel off. Dunno.

Sponsored content

Cucumber beetles!!!!!

Cucumber beetles!!!!!

Update

Re: Cucumber beetles!!!!!

Re: Cucumber beetles!!!!!

Re: Cucumber beetles!!!!!

Re: Cucumber beetles!!!!!

Re: Cucumber beetles!!!!!


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.