I will be waiting for this answer too! Squash bugs are the biggest problem I have in the garden.

The Gardens Alive book/site has the best info I've seen anywhere, especially organic.
But--even they say the time to get the Squash bug is when they are small, because the adults are hard to kill. Pyola is effective on the young stages-I've used this, its good for a lot, and the only other solution they have is to cover--and I think we all know you cant keep Squash covered.

True, you can't keep it covered forever... but this year I'm gonna try keeping the squash under row covers as long as they will fit. Hopefully that will be long enough to avoid the Squash Vine Borer invasion in June. Maybe it will be long enough to send the squash bugs searching elsewhere or at least keep their populations to a minimum early on. We'll see how it goes. Last year I kept a small patch of melons under row covers, and it did keep the cucumber beetles off of them.

And you can get large row covers...

I've read that cedar oil is pretty rough on the squash bugs, but it's kind of pricey.

I haven't had any trouble with squash bugs on my melons or gourds but they've caused me to give up on pumpkins. I never grow zucchini or other squash because I always get the extras from my parents' garden. Squash bugs prefer winter squash and pumpkins.
Linda - Maybe skipping a year with your garden will be a benefit. Hopefully they moved on or starved last summer. This might be a better year for you.

I have been doing a little research on squash bugs....saw something that might be a good idea.

Lay a board at the base of the plant; the bugs will go under it at night. In the morning dispose of them (possibly a small bonfire!...just kidding).

I think some people DO torch them so maybe that's not such a bad idea. It would give a person some satisfaction at least. My daughter used our dustbuster on the Japanese Beetles that were on our raspberries last summer and it surprised me how well it worked. Kinda gross though. lol

You can check the underneath sides the leaves for egg masses and destroy them before they hatch. That will help too but I think it will just take a combination of things to control them.

Welcome back by the way! : )

Thanks for all the replies, I did do a research several times dreaming for a miracle LOL
I've did the hand picking, soap sprays, the board thing, mulch and no mulch, haven't tried the row cover, probably won't doesn't sound feasiable to me.
Read the garden alive site sent for there catalog, Hope it works.
Have birds galore,

You know, I've been wondering, would a Dormant Oil spray work? It has a summertime mix, its from pressed soybeans, and surely it couldnt harm? It works by smothering bugs, etc. Might be worth a try?

I think it might if you hit those tiny gray critters directly. I have some on hand. I tried Neem oil last year on the roses....burned them badly so I was afraid to use it on a soft leaved plant like squash.

My husband was told by a "bug man", who was a judge at a cactus show, to try wraping the base of the vines with panty hose. I may try this. Summer squash is a must for me.

Last year I did get yellow squash and a few zuchini from seed planted August 1st.

Was the neem oil applied in the evening or when the sun was not shining? I have been told to to do this.

Gay B.

I am sure I did it in the morning. I am an early morning person, by noon I am usually finished.

I bet the sun hitting that oil is what did it. I should have read the label! Thanks for pointing that out. I may try it again this year.