422 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 13 
Natural Checks 
Chittenden, Girault, and Weed and Conradi mention parasites of 
the egg and adult, a bacterial disease, and cannibalism as checks on 
the squash bug. These do not appear to be active under Kansas 
conditions, the principal checks on the species being lack of food and 
cold. Cool weather restricts activities, and all nymphs and many 
adults perish from winter cold. All the plants in a patch are some¬ 
times killed by the bugs in late summer. Adults may fly to other 
feeding places, but nymphs must perish in thousands, before finding 
food. Where bugs have cut off their own food supply in this manner, 
they will usually not assume normal numbers in the locality until late 
the next year. Many nymphs starve in the fall after frosts kill their 
food-plants. 
Control 
General Considerations. —-Control of the species is difficult when 
bugs are numerous, but it is not impossible. The methods found 
effective include cultural or preventive measures, and hand-picking 
and spraying, which are remedial measures. Other methods which 
have been advocated at times but not found practical, include the use 
of coverings for young plants, planting an excess of seed, fumigation 
under covers, the use of repellents, and burning bugs in the fall with 
a torch. 
Cultural measures are valuable in restricting injury by squash bugs, 
other insects, and plant diseases, and will usually increase the crop 
even if no enemies are present. They should be used in all cases as far 
as possible. When squash bugs are present in injurious numbers, and 
the crop is of considerable value, remedial measures may also be em¬ 
ployed. Hand-picking must be depended on in small garden plots, 
and may supplement spraying in larger gardens. Spraying is expen¬ 
sive, and is not warranted unless the crop is profitable, and the attack 
severe. It may be of value in large home gardens, or market gardens. 
Where squashes and pumpkins are grown on an extensive plan, and 
large returns are not expected, remedial measures cannot be profitable, 
but cultural measures should usually insure a fair crop. 
Cultural Methods. —These include crop rotation, fertilization 
and thorough tillage, and clean farming in the fall. The first 
method aims at removing the crop from the vicinity where the 
bugs have developed the preceding season, and where observation 
shows that their work begins earliest and is most severe. It is efficient 
in large fields. The second method aims at stimulating plant growth 
so as to give a good yield in spite of some injury. Clean fall culture is 
very important, as the fruits left on the ground nourish many bugs 
