Cucumber Beetles

This is the time of year that adult cucumber beetles will begin to appear in the garden. You will first notice the leaves of cucumber and squash or melon plants being eaten.  The mated beetles will lay eggs at the base of the plant.  About this time of the year, the eggs will hatch and the larvae will dig down into the soil and start feeding on the roots of the plants for about six weeks.  After they emerge as adults, the next problem they cause is spreading disease.


Spraying with chemicals or organic sprays is only a bandaid to the real problem.  If your soil has a healthy community of predatory nematodes, they will control the beetles.  Predatory nematodes feed on the larvae of beetles.   Last year I had cucumber beetles and squash beetles on my plants.  It was not an infestation but there was damage.  This year I have not seen any damage yet.  I did find 3 Colorado potato beetles on my potatoes.  Last year my potatoes were badly damaged but survived.  By adding our vermicompost to the soil, I am reintroducing the life that is necessary for a healthy soil community.


Cucumbers

Zucchini