how about bt I think it's good for the larva stage of the squash bug it sure got rid of those big fat horn worms

Squash bugs don't have larvae. The nymphs hatch directly from the eggs. Squash vine borers (totally different problem) have larvae and BT work for them but it doesn't work for squash bugs.

There are so very many discussions here about squash bugs and how to control them, not to mention alternatives to Sevin Dust. As an example, a simple search pulled up the 100+ linked below for you to review.

But if you prefer to just kill or "squoosh" all the bugs in the garden - good or bad - then Sevin will do that for you.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Squash Bug discussions

Those adults are difficult to kill, even with insecticide. I knock them into a cup of soapy water I keep down at the garden. I also have a roll of masking tape down there that I use like a lint roller to get those eggs off the underside of plants.

I'm not necessarily anti pesticide, when this season started I didn't care if I killed myself..I was going to kill them. However, I've found the picking and tape does a better job of keeping their numbers down.

I just came back from the garden again. I placed the plank of wood. I couldnt help notice that one of my zuchinni plants is now wilted. I mean....when I looked at four hours ago--it was thriving.

I think I got the vine borers other posters have talked about. I've certainly seen enough photos and read enough--although I have not seen any holes in the stems or indication that something is on there. I do not see any squash bugs on that plant either, it was the other plant this morning, where I spotted two live ones though.

Does it sound like I got the vine borers, too? Same patch last year, they got at one pumpkin vine and they also wilted and died within hours. They clearly had holes borne into the root or vines--I forget and dont have pic to refresh my memory. I was so stupid to put zuchinni in the same patch this year!

SOS! I need info fast. What is BT ? I'll go get it rightaway assuming Lowe's, Ace or HD has it. I dont want to lose all my plants. Thx again for helping.

Photos of wilted squash and root. Also can someone id the two orange-brownish eggs? And worm--is that a tiny slug? I found two of these worms in the zuke patch. I also killed about ten squash bugs. Upon close obversation of the affected root base, I saw no evidence of any holes. I did see the squash bugs sucked onto the bottom of the leaves and directly onto the root base. I did NOT find them on the wilted plant though, I found them on the leaves/root base next to the wilted one.

[IMG]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z177/marial5511/DSC03562.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z177/marial5511/DSC04679.jpg[/IMG]

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Its natural for squash vines to wilt in the heat of a midsummer afternoon in dry weather. They recover in the cool of the evening.

Its when they're wilted in the morning that you know you have a problem.

[IMG]http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z177/marial5511/DSC04684.jpg[/IMG]

my excuses, this photo with 2 eggs on the stem should replace the 1st of four photos above.

Can someone remind me how to get thumbnail photos to appear, I'm using photobucket.

here are 2 egg thingies:
{{gwi:86966}}

here is the root base....looked normal to me!
{{gwi:86967}}

here's the wilted plant.

{{gwi:86968}}

Those are squash vine borer eggs. You will find additional pictures of them in the many posts here on SVB (squash vine borers). Remove them and any others like them.

There is no way that a few squash bugs could bring down a plant this quickly. The basal stem of your plant appears to have either root rot, late damp-off, or some sort of pest (slugs possibly) damage and that is why it is wilting. Note how the stem appears rotted just below the soil line? It is possible SVB damage but I don't see any frass and they don't usually enter the base but a bit further up the stem. If you mound up the soil around the base of the plant it might recover but the odds aren't good.

Suggest a search and review of all the FAQs and discussions here on both SVB and squash bugs.

Dave

You asked "And worm--is that a tiny slug?"

Yes.

Thanks for your help. For the first time I have successfully removed my squash bug problem through hand-picking. I have also removed all SVB eggs that I saw and I continue to check daily. I do have a slug problem this year from all the rain. I have the ends of my zukes rotting. I have no proof it's slugs but I found tiny black slugs in my zuke patch when I thought they only lived in my lettuce patch.

With the warmer summer temps coming (we're july), will the tiny black slugs naturally disappear?

Just get some slug bait - several brands. Slug-B-Gone is one, Slugg-Go is another.

End of zukes rotting can be either lack of pollination or BER. There are FAQs and discussions here about both conditions.

Dave

My husband had a great idea to use duct tape yesterday to catch all the little nasties and it seems to be working as a sticky trap too- you might try that to catch them when you're not around.