Anasa tristis

Hemiptera: Coreidae

Identification
• Adult squash bugs (a) are ³/₄" long, brown, and flat-topped.
• Nymphs (b) are gray, flattened, and up to ³/₄" long.

Damage
• Squash bugs suck sap from leaves, stems, and fruit of squash and pumpkin.

Management
• Keep garden free of dead leaves and other debris. lay down boards or other objects; in the morning, smash bugs that have hidden under the boards during the night.
• Rotate susceptible crops to other parts of the garden, or plant those crops only every other year to avoid overwintering adults.
• Remove reddish-brown egg clusters from leaf undersides semi-weekly.
• Remove garden debris in the fall to reduce overwintering sites.
• Insecticides available to homeowners are not very effective.