pumpkin bugs

Anyone know what these are? They're all over our pumpkins though we don't seem to have any damage to them. What are they? Are they something we should spray?

They look like Squash Bug nymphs. I would do something about it, if they are. Are you going to eat the pumpkins or are for sale or decoration?

This message was edited Sep 16, 2011 1:56 PM

Both. There are 2 acres of them ready to go. Howdens and baby pams. I will look those up and see.

Here is an article from one of our local extentions...

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/ENT-120-08.pdf

Oh boy.... They're not good. Going to pick all day tomorrow. Once they're off the vine and moved the pumpkins be ok right? Most of them are unleashed. And the vines, only some, are slightly wilty.

I really don't know. From what I read, they can damage the fruit by scarring the outside. Once they're picked, I would think they'd be okay. You'd have to look.

Yeah that's all i saw too, but haven't really seen any thing strange on the pumpkins..well aside from the bugs. A few were rotten but those were in wet spots. I didn't see any bugs on baby pams because the vines are already drying. We're gettin passed the 100 maturity for them so they are all perfectly ripe, no bugs to be seen. Mostly just the Howdens have bugs cause the vines and leaves are still live.

Sorry. Lol i feel like I'm thinking outloud. Lol. Just trying to figure my plan of attack on these next year. :)

No worries on the thinking outloud. LOL I do it, too. I'm pretty certain that, once the pumpkins are away from the vines, they'll be fine. The bugs can concentrate on the vines instead of your fruit. The article said something about searching the vines for eggs? Is that something you can do? Maybe that's a Spring thing.

Without a doubt those are squash bugs. I look for and kill them almost everyday on my pumpkins. They are crafty and hide well. Take a one gallon pump sprayer and put at least 12 oz of a thick dish liquid soap. I use Palmolive. It kills them in less than one minute. The eggs are on the underneath of the leaf. The are small round and shiny brown. I spray and pinch those. Spray around the base of the plant with the stream and when they start moving adjust the nozzle to a wider pattern and soak them good

They tend to like the stalks that have grass or weeds around for more cover. Pull the grass and weeds out as your working and looking. Shaking the vine will get them moving as well.

Oh boy.... There are over 2 acres of them! Lol maybe next year.... We almost have em all picked now, well half way. Next year we'll have to plan to spray in our new location. These guys stink something awful!

They do, we shoulda warned ya! LOL