As any good farmer knows, a successful harvest is dependent on knowing the enemies of your crops. One such enemy is the insect cucumber beetle.
Cucumber beetles are common pests on cucurbits (melons, cucumbers, pumpkin, squash, zucchini, etc.), among other plants such as corn.
They not only chew on leaves, which wouldn’t be so bad, but they can also transmit bacterial wilt, which can kill affected plants [1].
Know not only the signs of an infestation but also how to best naturally get rid of this pest from your plants.
Life Cycle
The full lifecycle of these beetles is 40 to 60 days [2]. They can overwinter in places like woody areas and garden trash heaps and emerge in warming spring climates.
A female striped cucumber beetle can lay up to 1500 eggs, and a spotted cucumber beetle can lay 200 to 300 eggs [3]. As soon as the eggs hatch, the larvae begin feeding on cucurbit roots.
Crop Damage
One of the first signs of cucumber beetle damage in your garden is holes in the leaves. Cucumbers, squash, and melon plants are, by far, their favorites.
Still, if the population is too large or their favorite crops are not available, they can attack potatoes, corn, and other crops.
Striped Cucumber Beetle vs. Spotted Cucumber Beetle
One of the main differences between striped cucumber beetles and spotted cucumber beetles is that the striped one mainly sticks to cucumbers, squash, and the like. In contrast, the spotted one will migrate to other plants.
The striped cucumber beetle features long black stripes on a yellow body, and the spotted cucumber beetle features a yellow body but with black spots.
How to Get Rid of Cucumber Beetles Naturally
Below are some of the best natural control methods and home remedies for cucumber beetles!
1. Diatomaceous Earth
This non-toxic powder is a tremendous organic beetle control remedy. When sprinkled on plants, diatomaceous earth (DE) will kill existing cucumber beetles after they crawl through it.
You can also make a homemade cucumber beetle spray by mixing half a cup of food-grade DE with a gallon of water. Spray the plants where the problem is.
Diatomaceous earth is a natural and safe remedy used in organic gardening. However, when applying, be sure to wear a mask so the dust doesn’t get into your nostrils.
2. Beneficial Insects
Ladybugs are one of the best natural predators of certain harmful garden insects. They will eat the beetle’s eggs. This lessens the chance of an outbreak.
You can purchase ladybugs at many organic nurseries for just this purpose, along with some other helpful insects for your garden.
Other cucumber beetle predators include green lacewings, the tachinid fly, soldier beetles, braconid wasps, and ground beetles.
3. Till the Ground
One early prevention for these critters is tilling up the ground in late fall. This can help eradicate any cucumber beetle larvae in the soil.
Also, in spring, just before planting, tilling will ensure any larvae that survive fall tilling are exposed to predators.
4. Yellow Sticky Trap
The yellow sticky trap is a great method to catch cucumber beetles because they are attracted to the color yellow. As soon as you see a sign of this pest, get your sticky tape ready and border your garden.
Sticky traps also act as a great monitoring tool for the overall health of your garden, catching all sorts of bad insects. Lures will help draw in these pests, and the sticky traps will hold them for disposal.
5. Use Transplants
Transplanting cucumber plants instead of planting seeds can help deter these yellow and black-striped bugs.
When the seedlings are just sprouting, they are more susceptible to cucumber beetle damage. Therefore, start the seeds inside and transplant the seedlings into the gound when they are big enough.
6. Shake Them Off
Another method of dealing with cucumber bugs and other insect pests is the knock-and-drag method.
Place cardboard under the plant that you have seen containing beetles. Once the cardboard is in place, shake the plant lightly to displace the beetles and drag the cardboard out.
Next, place the critters in a sealable bag and dispose of the bag. Replace the cardboard and do this again. You can also drop the pests in a bucket of soapy water to smother and kill them.
7. Plant Late
By planting your cucumber plants later in the season, other gardens will attract these pests, leaving your crops, hopefully, undamaged.
8. Mulch
Straw mulch or other loose material applied around plants is another simple solution to help deter these beetles naturally.
Mulching newly transplanted seedlings will create a barrier that helps prevent the female beetles from laying eggs on the surrounding soil.
9. Vacuuming
Handpicking is a tedious task, but with care, vacuuming these pests off of your plants may be easier. However, ensure you empty the vacuum into a sealable bag for disposal.
10. Hydrated Lime and Wood Ash
Using mixtures of wood ash and powdered hydrated lime is also an excellent natural deterrent for cucumber beetles.
Add 1 ounce each of ash and hydrated lime to one gallon of water and mix. This dissolved solution can then be added to spray bottles and applied to the affected plants.
11. Neem Oil
This oil from the seeds of the neem tree has been proven to be an excellent natural insecticide.
To use neem oil for cucumber beetles, combine 2 ml of organic liquid soap with 5 ml of neem oil and a liter of water. Shake well and spray the affected plants.
Neem oil repels many insects and prevents some fungal plant concerns. Additionally, it helps to stop some viruses and other diseases that can kill plants.
12. Hot Pepper and Garlic
This is a great home remedy to protect cucumbers from pests. Use hot peppers and garlic to mix up a spicy repellent for the critters.
Combine six cloves of crushed garlic, a tablespoon of dried hot pepper, and a tablespoon of organic liquid soap with a gallon of hot water.
Let the mixture sit for at least a day. Finally, strain it and put it in a spray bottle for application.
The unpleasant smell and taste of the solution will keep the beetles at bay.
13. Remove the Eggs
Cucumber beetle eggs are easy to spot on your garden plants; however, removing them is crucial.
Picking or cutting egg clusters from the leaves will ensure they don’t hatch and further the infestation. Also, remember to look under the leaves, inspect the stalk of the plant, and remove any visible eggs.
14. DIY Trap
Make a DIY cucumber beetle trap using a yellow plastic cup, clove oil, and a sticky substance such as non-drying glue.
First, glue a piece of cotton to the bottom of the cup. Next, add a few drops of clove oil to the cotton.
Plant a wood post in the ground and fasten the cup horizontally to it. Afterward, paint the cup (inside and out) with the sticky substance.
The yellow cup will attract the pests, and the clove oil will lure them in, where they’ll get stuck to the glue.
15. Insecticidal Soap
Purchase a ready-to-use insecticidal soap, such as Bonide, that is approved for organic gardening. Following the package instructions, use it to spray the insects.
Alternatively, make your own mixture by combining 3 tablespoons of liquid soap and 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil with a gallon of water. Insecticidal soap will kill cucumber beetles and other insect pests on contact.
16. Companion Planting
Another great method for getting rid of cucumber beetles organically is companion planting.
Corn or radishes planted alongside or in between rows of cucumbers have been shown to keep away these beetles.
Other plants that repel cucumber beetles include nasturtium, tansy, marigold, and catnip.
17. Row Covers
The first line of defense is to cover your plants with floating row covers or other barriers to keep these pests out.
Row covers act as mini-greenhouses, allowing light and water to seep in for the benefit of the plants while keeping pests at bay.
Secure the edges to prevent these pests from gaining access to the plants inside. However, once flowers begin to appear, remove the covers for pollination to occur.
18. Trap Crops
This method is exactly as it sounds: planting for the sake of tricking garden pests. By drawing pests to trap crops, you will spare your principal crops.
A good trap crop for cucumber beetles is blue hubbard squash. It also attracts squash bugs and other cucumber pests.
The blue hubbard squash planted at the garden corners can help isolate the beetles from your cash crop.
19. Crop Rotation
No matter how much prep work, tilling, and the like you do, some larvae may hatch.
One of the best pest prevention tactics is to rotate where you plant cucumbers, squash, and other cucurbits in the coming season.
Because these beetles overwinter in the soil and garden debris, crop rotation can help prevent larval damage to plants. This is for the reason that the pests won’t readily access their favorite plants when hatched.
20. Vinegar
A strong vinegar spray can kill these beetles; however, it may also kill your plants. Therefore, it’s best not to use it directly on plants.
Only use vinegar to spray cucumber beetles if they are not on your plants.
21. Baking Soda
You can also use baking soda spray on your plants as a natural treatment for cucumber beetles and other plant problems.
For the recipe, mix together one tablespoon of baking soda with a little dish soap in a gallon of water. Shake well, and use it to coat your plants once a week.
This homemade baking soda solution helps to control these pests while also keeping powdery mildew at bay.
22. Kaolin Clay
Mixing 3 cups of Surround WP Kaolin Clay with 1 gallon of water provides a sprayable solution for your plants.
This substance will form a white barrier surface on your plants that the beetles do not like, preventing them from feeding and laying their eggs.
Kaolin clay is safe to use on vegetable plants in your garden. However, you should always cleanse your produce thoroughly before eating.
23. Spinosad
Monterey Spinosad Insect Spray is a great natural pesticide to kill cucumber beetle larvae, pickleworms, and many other pests of vegetable crops.
This multi-purpose natural repellent is also versatile. Therefore, you can use it for your entire garden rather than just cucurbit patches.
24. Molt-X
This is another great insecticide for cucumber beetle control. The product contains a very potent compound derived from the neem tree.
Molt-X serves to prevent the eating of vegetation by insects and also acts as a repellent. Use it to spray your plants and/or apply it directly to the soil.
25. Beauveria bassiana
This is a naturally occurring fungus that you can use on many beetles and other pests in the garden. Once properly applied, it will infect and kill the beetles a few days later.
BioCeres WP Beauveria bassiana can be purchased at various online retailers or at some garden centers.
See also: how to get rid of Japanese beetles naturally.
Takeaway
Like squash bugs, these pests like to munch on cucumbers, squash, melons, and other cucurbits.
Even if those are not crops you have in your garden, remember that the spotted cucumber beetle is not picky. Therefore, be prepared and have a plan to help control these pests naturally.
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