Question:
How do I control cucumber beetles?Answer:
The striped cucumber beetle is a common pest of cucurbit crops in the Midwest. The spotted cucumber beetle, also known as the southern corn rootworm, is also a pest of cucurbit crops, but the striped cucumber beetle has more economic impact due to its ability to transmit bacterial wilt.
Early in the season, feeding by larvae can stunt and even kill seedlings and small transplants. Adult beetles feed mostly on leaves but will feed on stems if populations become too high. Once plants have established and begin to mature, they can survive high levels of defoliation, but this still isn’t acceptable due to the transmission of bacterial wilt through feeding. At high populations, beetles can cause cosmetic damage to fruits.
Covering plants with row cover or frost fabric can prevent young plants from being eaten or damaged by cucumber beetles. The covering must be removed when plants start to flower to allow for proper pollination.