Plant Insects 
©. 
CUCUMBER BEETLES 
"he striped and 12-spotted Cucumber Beetles attack all plants of the Cucurbit family. Their damage is not 
only in destruction of the plant but in the spread of a number of the serious plant diseases. They are solely re¬ 
sponsible for completion of the life cycle of the organism causing Bacterial Wilt as well as the transfer of the 
parasite of the Mosaic disease from its wild host. The insects appear early in the season to attack the young 
plants, having spent the winter months among trash and refuse about the field. Eggs are laid in protective 
cracks in the soil and hatch within a period of ten days. Their larval period is about one month during which 
time, they cause damage to the roots. Warm weather is considered as most favorable to their early development. 
The number of generations in each season is governed by climatic conditions. 
CONTROL: 
Various methods are satisfactory for their control. A dust consisting of one part calcium arsenate to fif¬ 
teen parts of gypsum is effective. It is most efficiently applied early in the morning when the air is still and dew 
is on the foilage. A three per cent nicotine dust is also a suitable remedy. It should be applied when the tem¬ 
perature is about 70 degrees F., and when the foliage of the plants is dry. The use of a 3-3-50 bordeaux mix¬ 
ture as a spray to which 2 pounds calcium arsenate has been added is also recommended, particularly when at the 
same time the control of some of the fungus diseases is desired. 
APHIDS 
The melon aphids or plant lice are common pests to cucumber, muskmelon, and watermelon. Their mouth 
parts are adapted for sucking the juice of the plants and their damage starts on the leaves. The aphids congre¬ 
gate on the under side of the leaves, near the edge, causing them to curl, turn brown and die. They also act as 
carriers of plant diseases from one plant to another. Infestation occurs throughout the season and is usually in¬ 
creased during comparatively cool weather in late summer months. These insects do not live over winter in the 
colder sections but the winged adults migrate annually from the warmer regions or are carried by prevailing 
south winds. Their peculiar reproductive habits are chiefly asexual although sexual fonns appear in the fall. 
The common belief that aphids are over-wintered as milk cows by ants arises from the practice of the ants in 
feeding on the “Honey Dew” or residue of the aphis. The ant gently strokes the aphid with its antennae until 
the insect excretes a clear drop of fluid from the alimentary canal which is eagerly devoured by the ant. 
CONTROL: 
Ladybird beetles are beneficial as they are serious enemies of the aphids. As the first infestations occur the 
plants should be destroyed and buried. Dusting the plants with a two per cent nicotine dust is one of the 
most effective methods of control. For best results this should be applied when the air is still and the plants are 
dry. Spraying with nicotine sulphur has been found satisfactory but is a more difficult method in reaching the 
under side of the leaves. This spray should contain three-fourths pint of Black Leaf 40 to one hundred gallons of 
water to which four or five pounds of soap has been added. 
SQUASH BORER 
The Squash Borer is a large white grub representing the larval stage of a common moth. It bores through 
the stems near the roots of Squash, Pumpkin and often both Cucumber and Muskmelon. 
CONTROL: 
In the case of Squash and Pumpkins, it is possible to split the stem and remove the borer, but when it at¬ 
tacks other plants, it is almost impossible to destroy them without killing the plant. Nicotine sulphate in one 
part to one hundred parts of water applied to the basic part of the vines at weekly intervals will reduce infesta- 
ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN 
