I hope you aren't in NY near me! So far, so good - crossing fingers. Might dust just in case.

I had to give up on regular cucs in the garden. For many years, I've just been planting Park's County Fair bitterfree cucs. They don't attract the beetles. I just couldn't have any without that variety. About every 8 years, I can plant another variety, but then the beetles return and I have to go back to just the County Fair.

Down here in Va the "season" for cuke beetles is June 1st thru till the first frost in Oct for both the striped and spotted buggers.

Boo

I've managed to kill a great many of them in years past by mixing liquid Sevin per directions, putting a small amount of it into a plastic or styrofoam cup, and adding a cucumber beetle attractant, like tayuya powder (you have to order it over the internet) OR a few drops of clove oil, which attracts females only. I haven't used the clove oil yet (just ordered it this spring) but many people say it works great. The tayuya powder to make a thin gruel of the solution does, too. Both of them attract only cucumber beetles.

Then set or hang your traps in the garden near your threatened plants.

The drawback is the open cups. They certainly allow the attractant fragrance to reach the beetles, but they must be kept replenished. The sun evaporates the liquid and the rain dilutes it!

I've wracked my brain to create a container that slows evaporation and doesn't let the rain in while at the same time allowing the attractant plenty of room to escape from the container. A small umbrella might do it, but I certainly haven't tried that!

Here is a link that might be useful: Cucumber beetle bait traps -- pics

You mean those little umbrellas they use on exotic cocktails? Not a bad idea. What about covering the cup with a piece of plastic wrap that has a few holes in it large enough so the beetles can get in? Use a rubber band to keep the plastic wrap on the cup. That might slow down the evaporation. Hide it under a big leaf to slow rain from getting in.

aulani

Your under a big leaf scenario sounds best to me, since anything that cuts down on the release of the attractant smell, like covering with top and making holes, just means fewer cucumber beetles killed. I have two crookneck squash with leaves that are at least 18 inches wide, the biggest healthiest ones I've ever seen!

I smooshed a bunch by hand first. I got tired of checking on the plants every 15 minutes (they were on the melons and squashes too.) So I did break out the Sevin & dusted. I hate using the stuff.

Annie your bait traps are ingenious. You should paten it before Raid gets theirs hand on it.

I stumbled on this article today. I thought I'd share it. One of the cucumbers I am growing is County Fair. However, I have seen cucumber beetles on them. The other cucumber I'm growing is Sapacemaster. There seems to be an equal amount of cuke beetles on both. I'm also growing some melons. The beetles have not been on my Moon & Stars watermelon but have been on the Isreali & Schoons Hardshell melons. Just thought I'd share my observations. I have seen them on my summer squashes too. I can't remember where I planted what varieties though! I should have kept better track.

It rained last night. I hope my dusting yesterday will at least slow them down.

I have not seen them on my winter squashes. I planted Waltham Butternuts & Adapazari. These are planted about 150 feet away from the main garden. It's the first time I've planted squashes in this location.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plants Attractiveness to Cucumber Beetles

My County Fair cukes get covered with the beetles, it is simply that they don't wilt and die from them the way other varieties sometimes do. CF is the only cuke I bother with anymore.

Just spotted my first cuke beetle this morning on an Atlantic Giant pumpkin. Hard to control there as once the plant flowers they swarm into the flowers.