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Squash bug on a winter squash leaf in my Arkansas garden

Human child next to infected patch of winter squash

My winter squash plants are being attacked!

Squash bug nymphs on dead leaf

Squash bug nymphs

Squash bug nymph looking for refuge on a squash leaf

Soft, white, squash bug nymph

Squash bug eggs on underside of winter squash leaf

Squash bug eggs

Squash bug adult

Squash bug adult

How to Kill Squash Bugs Organically

The video below shows an organic way to kill squash bugs and cucumber beetles, using dish soap. It’s amazing how fast it works! [ Credit: georgem21275 ]

I tried this and it works!  Fast!  I just used dish soap mixed with water and poured it over a gathering of squash bugs and they were all paralyzed within seconds.  It was just a little soap and mostly water, shaken up.

How does dish soap kill bugs?

The soap suffocates them.  These insects breath through their outer covering and not through their mouth.  Air enters the insect’s body through valve-like openings in the exoskeleton.  [ source ] A soapy liquid covering their body keeps clogs up these openings, preventing Oxygen from entering their bodies.

Other Common Squash Pests

The video below shows several of the common insect pests on squash plants. [ Credit: NMSU ]