28 THE SQUASH BUG 



KILLING THE BUGS IN AUTUMN 



The squash bug, so far as is known, develops exclusively 

 upon plants of the squash vine famil}^, including besides the 

 squash, pumpkins, melons, cucumbers, and gourds. In New 

 Hampshire none of these plants grow wikl to any extent. 

 Consequently the bugs present any spring will be only those 

 that have developed the previous season upon plants grown 

 by man. It is the common practice to pay no attention late 

 in summer and early in autumn to the swarms of young bugs 

 developing upon the vines, because there is little danger of 

 serious injury from them so late in the season. And this is 

 the reason why the following spring the squash bugs swarm 

 into the fields in such enormous numbers. Developing in 

 autumn without molestation, they migrate to the woods or 

 other quarters for winter shelter, remaining there until spring, 

 when they come forth to attack the new crop. And doubtless 

 to a considerable extent every grower ma}' thus be responsible 

 for the attack upon his own vines, though of course there 

 is more or less interchange of bugs from neighboring 

 plantations. 



As a result of this condition, it will be readily seen that it is 

 important to kill off as many of the bugs in autumn as pos- 

 sible. This is especially true of the man who grows squasiies 

 in a region where few are grown by other people. At least 

 as soon as the first frost kills the vines the plantation should 

 be thoroughly gone over with one of tiie spray pumps tliat 

 throws a combination of kerosene and water, and all the bugs 

 which can be reached drenched with at least a ten per cent, 

 mixture of the kerosene. A large proportion of the bugs at 

 this time are in later nymph stages and will be able to develop 

 upon the juices of the stems and the immature squashes. 

 They congregate in great numbers upon the latter, and are 

 there easily drenched with the spray. One should not be 

 content by going over the field a single time. Many of the 

 bugs will surely escape, so that the operation should be 

 repeated as often as any considerable number of bugs are 

 present. We have found the Knapsack Kerowater Sprayer 

 excellent for this work. 



