If you’ve ever wondered how to get rid of squash bugs before they destroy your harvest, you’re not alone. These persistent pests can cause serious squash bug damage in no time, and once they’ve moved in, they’re tough to control.
Learn organic ways to prevent, manage, and treat squash bugs, so you can protect your garden and harvest healthy, delicious squash.
Get Rid of Squash Bugs Organically
You step outside to water your garden, and your heart sinks. Your squash plants look wilted and dried out. The leaves are limp and curled, with no sign of life left in them.
It’s one of the most frustrating sights a gardener can face, especially when you’ve done everything right.
In this post, we’re tackling one of the most persistent garden pests: the squash bug. You’ll learn how to spot them early, prevent them from taking over, and deal with them organically so you can keep harvesting healthy, beautiful squash all season long.
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Squash bugs vs. squash vine borers
Just a quick note before we get any further: this post is all about squash bugs, not squash vine borers. I know the symptoms look very similar, and often both pests show up around the same time. Both can be devastating to your plants and need careful attention and a solid plan to deal with. But here, we’re going to focus just on squash bugs.
What are squash bugs?
Squash bugs (Anasa tristis) are small, flat, grey insects, about 1/2- to 3/4-inch long, and shaped like a narrow shield. They literally suck the life out of your squash plants: zucchini, summer squash, pumpkins, winter squash, and more.
They have piercing mouthparts, so they don’t chew like other bugs or caterpillars, instead they suck the sap from plants and inject toxins that cause the rapid wilting known as “squash bug wilt.”
This is especially tough on new gardeners who might wake up one morning to find a once-thriving squash plant looking limp and wilted, or even dead. You might think that you didn’t water your plants enough, even though the soil is still damp.
But water has nothing to do with it.
What makes squash bugs even more frustrating is that they are hard to get rid of once they show up in numbers. The adults lay their eggs in clusters under the squash plant leaves, which can be hard to spot unless you’re really looking for them.
In fact, by the time you notice the damage, squash bugs may have already laid hundreds of eggs.
You’ll find the squash bug eggs on the underside of squash leaves: small, shiny and copper-colored, laid in clusters between the leaf’s veins.
The nymphs, or hatchlings, are small, grey or whitish-colored, with black legs. They move very quickly, and usually hang out in groups under the leaves.
The nymphs go through several stages of growth (called instars) before they reach adulthood, and they’re slurping and snacking on your plants the whole time.
The adult squash bugs can be found on the base of the plants, or under the leaves, especially in warm, dry weather.
In warm climates, there may be two or more generations per season. In cooler areas, usually just one.
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What does squash bug damage look like?
Squash bug damage often looks like drought stress, like the plants aren't getting enough water.
The plant’s leaves wilt, even if the soil is damp. But when you water, the plant won’t perk up. Eventually the plant will die.
In the early stages of infestation, you might also see yellowing or mottled spots on the leaves, and eventually brown or black edges on the leaves - but the most obvious and telltale sign is spotting the adult bugs or egg clusters.
When do squash bugs appear?
Adult squash bugs go dormant over the winter, hiding in piles of garden debris, leaves and branches, and under mulch.
They become active again in the late spring or early summer when the weather warms up, just as your squash plants begin to really take off.
They emerge from hiding places where they’ve overwintered, mate and lay eggs on the undersides of leaves. If you don’t catch them early, their population can explode fast.
How to prevent squash bugs
Prevention really begins in the fall, when you clean up your garden and put it to sleep for the winter.
Dispose of garden debris - leaves, branches, dead plant matter, and any place that squash bugs like to hide over the winter.
Disturbing the top layer of garden soil in the fall - and again in the early spring - by tilling, or raking the top several inches of soil, can help to control adult bugs that may be hiding there.
Rotating your crops also helps to prevent an infestation. Don't plant squash in soil where it grew last year.
Using row covers to protect your seeds and young squash plants can also help, at least for a while.
However, you need to remove the row covers when your plants begin to bloom, so that pollinators can reach the flowers.
Plant resistant varieties of squash
You can also choose to grow resistant varieties of squash.
Some butternut and acorn squash types are considered less appealing to squash bugs. Zucchini has also been shown to be more tolerant than yellow squash - not totally resistant, but more resistant than yellow summer squash.
Moschata varieties of squash - cheese pumpkins, butternut squash, neck pumpkins and tahitian squash - are supposedly the most resistant to squash bugs.
The varieties that squash bugs like best seem to be yellow crookneck squash, black zucchini, and especially hubbard squash, so plant those at your own risk!
While some varieties are “more resistant,” squash bugs can still be a problem. Good garden hygiene, removal of infested plants, and other pest control measures all contribute to your plan to win the war on squash bugs.
Companion Planting
Companion planting can also help to prevent squash bugs.
Planting the following plants in between and around your squash plants can be helpful - and as a bonus, many of them attract pollinators too.
Garlic and onions can be planted around your squash plants to help deter squash bugs.
Tansy, french marigolds, petunias, peppermint, spearmint and catnip are all strong-scented plants that repel many insects, including squash bugs. Beware that mint and catnip (which is also a member of the mint family) are aggressive plants, and you might want to plant them in containers rather than in the ground so they can’t take over your garden.
Radishes, when left to flower and go to seed, can help deter squash bugs.
Borage and dill attract beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps, ground beetles, and tachinid flies that prey on squash bugs.
Nasturtiums are a good trap crop: squash bugs like them even more than squash. Plant trap crops on the edge of your main crop and keep an eye on them.
When you find squash bugs on these plants, deal with them by handpicking, flicking into soapy water, etc., just as you would if they were on your squash plants. The benefit is that the damage is done to these flowering plants instead of to your squash plants.
If your trap crops are overrun with pests, you can remove and dispose of the plants.
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Learn more about companion planting with flowers in your vegetable garden.
Use a well-rounded approach
While companion planting can help deter squash bugs, it's not a guaranteed solution.
A combination of companion planting and the other methods we’ve discussed here (like fall clean-up, garden hygiene, daily inspection, and planting resistant varieties) may be necessary for effective squash bug control.
Hand picking squash bugs
There is a lot to be said for this manual, old-fashioned method of treatment. In late spring, make it a habit to inspect your plants every couple of days.
Look under the leaves of your squash plants for clusters of copper-colored eggs laid between the leaf’s veins.
When you find squash bug eggs, you must remove them from the leaves by either scraping them off, squishing them, or removing that portion of the leaf.
If you scrape off the eggs (using your fingernail or the side of a spoon) don’t just scrape them on to the ground. Squish them, or dispose of them in a zippered sandwich baggie.
Personally, I cut off the leaf - or at least the portion with the eggs on it - and put it in a zippered bag for disposal.
Some gardeners use the sticky side of duct tape to remove the eggs from the leaves, then dispose in zippered bags.
Once you find that first cluster of eggs, you’ll need to be diligent. Check every day for newly-laid eggs and dispose of them. Inspect your plants every day.
Squash bugs and nymphs are more sluggish in the morning when the weather is cool, so this is an ideal time to check for them.
The nymphs, which are small and soft grey or whitish in color, with black legs, tend to hang out under the leaves, while the adults hide during the day around the base of the plant, under leaves, or even under mulch.
Grab any adult squash bugs that you spot, so they can’t lay more eggs!
Knock them off the plant into a container of soapy water, where they will drown. Use one teaspoon of mild soap in a quart of water.
Or you can squash them. Beware, because squash bugs release a foul order when they are squashed. (Pun intended.)
I wear my gardening gloves and grab them with my fingers, plunging them into that container of soapy water to drown.
Organic squash bug solutions
Along with these hands-on methods, you can try these organic treatments that offer an extra layer of protection against squash bugs.
- Sprinkle diatomaceous earth (commonly referred to as D.E.) around the base of your squash plants. It’s a fine powder made from fossilized algae, and it works by drying out soft-bodied insects like squash bug nymphs. D.E. needs to be kept dry to be effective; you’ll need to reapply it after it rains.
- Insecticidal soaps disrupt the cell membranes of soft-bodied insects, like the nymphs, causing them to dehydrate and die. They are less effective on insects with hard exoskeletons, like adult squash bugs.
Follow the directions on the label to apply. Once the soap dries, it no longer has an insecticidal effect. It has to be reapplied as needed. - You can also use a neem oil spray. Neem is a natural oil from a tree, and while it doesn’t kill bugs on contact, it messes with their ability to feed and reproduce. Spray it in the early morning or evening, when bees and pollinators aren’t active.
- Wood board traps are quite effective as well. Lay flat boards on the soil near your plants, where squash bugs can hide overnight. Flip the boards over each morning while it’s still cool and the bugs are sluggish, and dispose of the adult squash bugs underneath.
- If you have one, a handheld vacuum can be used to suck up bugs from the leaves and stems of your plants.
- Squash bug eggs, nymphs, and adults are preyed upon by various natural predators including tachinid flies, parasitic wasps, ground beetles, ladybugs, spiders, and some birds - so get to know these beneficial allies and welcome them to your garden.
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Review your options to get rid of squash bugs organically
Let’s review what we’ve learned about squash bugs, how to prevent them, and how to treat them if you find them on your squash plants.
- Start in the fall by cleaning up all garden debris and removing places that adult squash bugs can overwinter.
- Rake through the soil in the fall and again in the spring to disturb adult squash bugs that are overwintering.
- Rotate your squash crops, so you’re not planting them in soil where squash grew last year.
- Use row covers if desired to protect your young plants in the early spring.
- Plant resistant varieties and avoid those that are highly susceptible to squash bugs.
- Use companion planting to help deter squash bugs, and trap crops to attract them away from your plants.
- Use organic means to fight an infestation, such as insecticidal soap, DE and Neem Oil.
- Inspect your plants regularly and often, looking for damage and for egg clusters. Remove eggs and adult bugs by hand, drowning them in soapy water.
Take Back Your Garden
For the best results, use a well-rounded plan when you grow squash - one that includes fall garden clean-up, regular plant checks, companion planting, and choosing resistant varieties. Tackling squash bugs from multiple angles gives you a much better chance of keeping your plants healthy and productive.
Dealing with squash bugs can feel overwhelming, but with a little vigilance and a lot of determination, you can stay ahead of them. Organic gardening isn’t always the easiest route, but it’s the one that leads to peace of mind, and a healthier, more abundant harvest in the long run.
Gathered Goods
Hand-picked tools, books, and everyday helpers we love:
Gardening gloves are the only way I can pick up a squash bug - and worms, frogs and other critters. I love these bamboo gloves, they're the only ones that can stand up to my heavy-duty gardening chores and my long fingernails. They really last!
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Kathi Rodgers is the gardener and writer behind Oak Hill Homestead (est. 2009) and the host of HOMEGROWN: Your Backyard Garden Podcast. With over 30 years of gardening experience in a variety of climates and soils, she helps new and aspiring gardeners grow healthy, organic food right in their own backyards.
A passionate advocate for simple, self-reliant living, Kathi is the author of multiple ebooks, a published magazine contributor, and shares practical advice with readers who want real-life solutions they can trust. She was also the publisher and editor of a long-running subscription newsletter (on an entirely different topic: cats).
Kathi lives in Oklahoma, where she grows more cherry tomatoes than she can count and keeps a watchful eye on tornado season. A proud grandma and great-grandma, she believes that wisdom - like a bountiful garden harvest - should be shared.
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