I have squash bugs again this year. I have been good about removing the eggs off the plants.I've only seen one adult squash bug so far. I do have straw around my plants. Should I remove the straw around them, because I have noticed that some of the vines that come out of the ground are getting chewed on. Do squash bugs live in straw or old horse maure? Just curious because I even moved my squash bed this year.
squash bugs
They don't live in manure. But they do like to hide anywhere they can- so using black plastic mulch helps alot- no where to hide!
What some folks do is lay a board down for them to hide under- and then raise & kill.
Adult squash bugs overwinter in leaves & debris- so garden clean up at the end of the season is important. But that'll only go so far, I suspect the squash bugs overwinter under my porch, I find them in there before I've even put a seed in the ground. And over by the compost pile.
Spraying beneficial nematodes to your yard, leave pile, and compost pile will help, too. They'll eat the eggs before they even hatch.
Would you do that in the spring or fall, Stephanie? Although that may be a tough question for you because you don't have the same kind of seasons that we do.
If your temps are mild, you can spray in the summer. Just spray them in the evening around dusk. In my part of the state, we actually have all 4 seasons, they just don't all last the same length of time! LOL
Thank you all for your suggestions