rjinja: I don't know the answers to your questions but I'm sure you'll receive lots of good advice from others.

I just wanted to say that I feel for you. Lots of bug problems here in central IL too. It's real hard not to garb for the Sevin.
I'm counting on the statements made here at garden web. That, once I get my soilfoodweb in good shape things will get better. Stay smiling.

rjinga: We lost all our squash to SVBs and an infestation of white fly that is beyond belief! They've also attacked our peppers, tomatoes, string beans, cukes and collards. Only the chard and beets were spared. I spent close to $100 on insecticides which they are all immune to, including Neem Oil. Then we noticed the tomatoes were also infested with tiny beige colored spider mites as well as the WF. I'm about to throw my hands up in despair.

You have my sympathy. Years ago squash was like blue sky. It was there. Bumper crops of everything I tried. Just before I was in apartments I got my first taste of squash bugs. Here in my new location the second year SVBs have been devastating. You don't see them and the plant just dies. I can't imagine trying to combat both.
One option you may have is to use a barrier like row cover and make sure you soil is clean underneath. You could even try large containers.

Rjinga - I can tell you how to deal with the bugs that you are dealing with. The squash bug is my main problem. I take it to them on a daily basis. I have 4 yellow crookneck plants that they are drawn to, like a magnet. I don't use chemicals, I use my hands to catch them, and then decapitate them. If you squish their bodies, the smell is horrible. I do this every evening, as well as find all clusters of eggs, and destroy them as well. The next day, it's the same thing all over again. I bet in the last 3 to 4 weeks, i've killed over 200 adults on those 4 plants alone. That's my way of dealing with them, and i've probably gotten at least 60 mature fruit from those 4 plants so far....

EG

well thanks for the moral support all...I can tell you that in the beginning, I did use sevin, just at the base of the plants. And I have used big containers, my overflow plants went into containers, and they seemed to be ducking for awhile, but recently I've found SVB gourged into their stems too. Along with the stink bugs all over them. They were also planted much later and they are relatively small compared to my big beautiful squash plants, now flattened to the ground...UGH

Tonight I spotted stink bugs on my okra, for the love of mike what wont they eat?

I guess I still really need to know what is the best clean up method is going to be. I dont want all these bugs scattering to the nearest okra, or pepper plant.

*****************************************************
"One option you may have is to use a barrier like row cover and make sure you soil is clean underneath"
*****************************************************

please explain, are you talking about dead leaves etc, mulch? no mulch? also please elaborate on the soil food chain.

thanks!

engineered...I have squished and cut heads off and bombed and scraped eggs off, after nearly standing on my head looking up under big leaves, I'd pick the leaves up one by one and examine them and as such I have killed so many of these crazy things, you'd think I'd wiped their populations off the map...but they keep coming and it's been so hot here lately, that probably a week went by where my bug patrol was only minimal. I suppose this was the window of opportunity they needed to have a population explosion

But I suppose the thing that killed them off primarily was the SVB, I initally had found them early on and did the surgical procedure to slice open the stem, and scramble their brains, then bury that part of the stem...that worked *temporarily* and I probably got a dozen or so more squash from those few plants. But this last time, they were just too far gone to recover.

SO ONCE AGAIN, WHAT NOW? Can I spray those plants down with something to zap those existing bugs, squishing of course any that try to escape? Then of course destroying the affected plants?

Gosh, I'm sorry, and wish I had all the answers for you. I have a wonderful bunch of gourds growing on an old tree stump area in my yard. Two weeks ago, the squash bugs came and starting chowing down on the gourd vines, I, too, "squished a million", then last week, while clearing some lilly foliage, I found a bunch,(8-10) baby praying mantises. My kids and I quickly relocated them to the gourd vines; this week, no squash bugs on the gourds! It sure is strange to see these growing large mantis bugs all around there, and NO nasty little gray squash eaters. I have been surprised that my yellow squash and zucchini have seen no bugs, only the gourds. They are pretty far apart from each other, but it is still strange. The vegies are in the regular garden where I've had bugs before, and I understand that these guys will winter in the dirt, the gourds are where I've never grown anything before. Why did the bugs gather there? But I'm sure grateful for the mantis that came along and laid her eggs in my lilly bed.
I've read that mantises can be ordered through some catalogs. Maybe that would help. Good luck....

Hi,
I have the very same problem with squash bugs. Just this morning I laid roof shingles close to my summer and winter squash, as I read somewhere that the bugs will go under there at night and then in the morning you can lift and destroy.
For the SVB'ers, I've been using Bagworm, Borer, and Tent Caterpillar spray directed at the plant base about once a week.
I've been having an occasional plant wilt and I thought it was bacterial wilt until I read that squash bugs inject a toxin and it looks just like bacterial wilt.
I spent a great amount of time/dollars/physical pain from digging, and now THIS.
If I'd known about squash bugs being this bad, I'd have waited for the eggs to hatch and zapped the nymphs with insecticide. Did not realize you can only kill adults by squishing them or that the eggs can't be killed with insecticide.
zinia

Hey rjinga: Here's a PDF file that I found. Hope that you find it helpful. "Squash Bug and Squash Vine Borer: Organic Controls"

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/squash_pest.pdf
Sue

Also has anyone tried Zucchetta Rampicante? It has a solid main stem and tends to resist SVB. When young it is close to a summer squash. I have this growing and it was not attacked. The Zucchini worked like a trap crop and I simply pulled it out and killed the larva I found.

Disposal - I recomend pulling up your squash and tossing them into a trash bag then tie it off (that is where 2/3 zuccinis are residing now).

Prevention/treatment - I had never grow squash before and was introdued to the SVB back in april. After fighting a loosing battle of picking eggs every day I learned that my local nursery sprays with BT (just as zinia said) but unlike her method they spray the entire plant.
Although the most damage is done on the main stem SVB will lay eggs all over the stalks and enter there and eat there way to the main stem. While making there way down they will kill the stalk which wilts which attracts other critters. The frequency of the spray will need to be every 2-5 days depending on the temp. I sprayed every 2 days in the morning and it does work (temps were in the 90s). I went out of town for a week and sure enough a few had gotten in the main stem, so I injected the stem with BT and no more frass. This is alot of work for just the 3 plants but it is the only thing that I have found that works. Keep in mind I'm trying to stay organic so there may be other pesticides that work but I don't know them. I got sick of squash and stopped spraying with BT about 3 weeks ago. Didn't take long for the SVBs to get them see images below

zucchini in july (you can see borer damage done in May on 2nd image but plant recovered after BT injection and prevenitive BT sprays)

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m413/Johnny_Lee_3/gardenjuly08026.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m413/Johnny_Lee_3/gardenjuly08058.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m413/Johnny_Lee_3/gardenjuly08070.jpg

zucchini today after I stopped BT spray for 3 weeks. Side not as soon as the SVB started to weaken the plants they started to get infested with aphids and whiteflies.

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m413/Johnny_Lee_3/Picture002.jpg

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m413/Johnny_Lee_3/Picture004.jpg

Hope this helps. Didn't have any problems with squash bugs so can't help there.

PS - I tried the following for SVBs and none of them worked: mothballs, garlic spray, neem, nastrium, collars, hand picking eggs (just too many of them and can't always reach where moth lays eggs without manhandling the plant).