I thought the little green, spotted beetle was cute when I spotted it on my dahlia earlier this week. I was particularly pleased with the photo I took. And then I did some research.
It turns out, this little guy is a pest — a pest that’s likely been lurking in my garden all year. He’s now my number one suspect in the mid-summer wilting of my cucumber and zucchini plants. Grr.
Here’s some of what I’ve learned.
Spotted cucumber beetles can be yellow to yellow-green and have 12 black spots on their back.
Their larvae are also known as “Southern corn rootworms.”
Preferred plants include cucumbers (surprise), squash, muskmelons (which includes cantaloupes), pumpkins, legumes, tomatoes, and cotton.
While cucumber beetles and their larvae will munch on the roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits of plants, their major threat to the garden comes from the diseases they spread, like bacteria wilt.
Bacteria wilt is caused by the bacterium Erwinia tracheiphila and some plants are more prone than others, with cucumbers (go figure) being most susceptible.
There’s no way to save a plant that already has bacterial wilt, so prevention is key. If you avoid insecticides like I do, your best bets are to encourage beneficial bugs (which would include natural predators) and use row covers until plants have bloomed. You could also seek and plant wilt-resistant cultivars. All strategies I've duly noted.
Sources/Further Reading
“Cucumber Beetles,” Entomology at the University of Kentucky.
“Cucumber Beetles: Spotted or Striped,” University of Maryland Extension.
“Section 18.6.2: Striped Cucumber Beetle and Spotted Cucumber Beetle, New York State Integrated Pest Management,” Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
“Species Diabrotica undecimpunctata - Spotted Cucumber Beetle” Bugguide.net, Iowa State University, Department of Entomology.
“Spotted cucumber beetle” Wikipedia.
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