Few things send chills down a gardener’s spine quite like the sight of their crops covered in bugs. Unfortunately, it’s a common observation this time of year as adult squash bugs start to congregate on Maine pumpkins.
This time of year, the insect’s appearance is far worse than its bite. That’s because in most cases the damage it can cause has already been done.
The bugs have spent much of the summer using their mouths to pierce and suck juice and other fluids from the leaves and stems of squash, pumpkins and melons. In doing so they are literally sucking the life out of the plants.
“Seeing squash bugs on pumpkins is very common this time of year,” said Jim Dill, pest management specialist with University of Maine Cooperative Extension. “The plant [parts] they had been feeding on have started to go down so they all get together and hang out on top of the pumpkin.”
The damage they can do to pumpkins now is minimal, Dill said. That’s because the rinds on the pumpkins are too thick for the bugs to penetrate.
But it does not stop the insects from congregating, where their dark, shovel-shaped bodies are easily spotted against the bright orange pumpkin.
If the sight of the bugs crawling all over the key ingredient for planned pumpkin pies or seasonal Jack-o-Lanterns is too much to take, they can just be removed.
“You can scoop them off into a bucket of soapy water,” Dill said. “Or you can use a little hand vacuum to suck them up.”
Doing so will cut down on the number of female squash bugs laying eggs next summer.
Since the bugs overwinter under leaves and other debris, the best way to eradicate them is to take some extra care when putting the garden to bed for the season.
“Do a really good job at sanitation of your garden spot,” Dill said. “Rake and clear everything up and put it in your compost.”
Next year as you put your garden in, Dill said to keep an eye out for the squash bug eggs under leaves and other debris. He described the eggs as appearing like little golden footballs that you can scrape into a bucket of soapy water to dispose of them.
Squash bugs do not carry diseases in Maine and pose no threat to humans.
“They don’t come at you to try and bite you,” Dill said. “But if you pin one with your fingers or one gets down your shirt, it will probably try to stab you.”