INJURIOUS TO CUCUMBER, SQUASH AND MELON 119 



Control. 



The adult squash bug is very resistant to contact sprays 

 and recourse must be had to other methods of controL The 

 number of bugs appearing on the plants in the spring can be 

 greatly decreased by practicing clean farming and thus reduc- 

 ing the available shelter for the hibernating insects. After the 

 crop is harvested, the vines should be raked up and either 

 burned or converted into compost. This will prevent many 

 of the later hatched nymphs from reaching maturity. The 

 use of proper fertilizers and thorough cultivation will often 

 enable the vines to withstand attack and outgrow the injury. 

 After the ground has been fitted but before the plants are up, 

 many of the bugs can be trapped imder pieces of boards placed 

 on the ground. They collect under such shelter during the 

 night. The boards should be examined every morning and the 

 insects killed by hand. It will also pay to keep watch of 

 the plants for some time after they come up and hand-pick all 

 the bugs found on them. All egg-masses should be destroyed 

 by scraping them off with a knife or by crushing. When the 

 nymphs are found, they too may be hand-picked or killed by 

 Spraying with "Black Leaf 40" tobacco extract, 1 part in 400 

 parts of water in which enough soap has been dissolved to 

 make a good suds. An upturned nozzle will be found con- 

 venient for reaching the young bugs on the underside of the 



leaves. 



References 



U. S. Div. Ent. Bull. 19, pp. 20-28. 1899. 

 U. S. Div. Ent. Circ. 39. 1899 and 1908. 

 N. H. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 89. 1902. 



The Horned Squash Bug 



Anasa armigera Say 

 The horned squash bug is frequently associated with the 

 preceding species, from Missouri to IMaryland and southward. 



