Here is a general guideline on how many nematodes you should apply when treating your garden for soil bourn pests: 10 Million nematodes will treat up to 3,200 sq.ft. Do not wait for the spring to … Controlling cucumber beetles is important for your garden if you grow cucumbers, melons or squash. Nematodes which live in the soil will eat cucumber beetle larvae after they hatch but before they can damage the roots of your cucurbits. Often, the beetles leave their hibernating sites early in the season (mid-April to early June), and feed on seedlings right as they are emerging, usually killing them. We recommend treating with Scanmask in June or July to kill the larvae and to prevent new adult cucumber beetles from emerging in late summer. When cucurbits are planted out into vegetable fields, migration of the striped cucumber beetle is swift. They’ll happily eat your cucumber beetles, but they’ll also eat cabbage loopers, flea beetles, cabbage worms, and many more. The most commonly used beneficial nematodes are Steinernema carpocapsae, S. feltiae, and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. Both species are effective on larvae of codling moth, corn earworm, and cucumber beetle. Control of Cucurbit Insects. Spotted cucumber beetles survive winter only in the south, but they migrate north in plenty of time to become a problem for the northern gardeners also. They are delivered in a non-synthetic wettable powder. The research and results are outlined below. The grubs of the spotted cuke beetle don’t spend nearly as much time in the soil, making nematodes less effective. Spotted cucumber beetles are about the same size but have black spots instead of stripes, are more of a greenish yellow, and lay their eggs earlier in the season. You can also use the “pick and squish” method, early in the evening, which although … However, nematodes can be added to the soil anytime, as long as you keep your soil watered. According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, when pure neem oil is used, it is also effective for treating cucumber beetle larvae and eggs. Except for nematodes, the natural enemies of banded cucumber beetle are poorly known. Dig soil at the end of autumn. ARBICO Organics line of Heterorhabditis bacteriaphora Beneficial Nematodes PRO are OMRI Listed for use in organic production. The underground larvae feed and pupate much faster, often leading to multiple generations in a typical year (and making the timing of nematode applications more critical). So call in the toads if you’re seeing spots! Neem oil kills cucumber beetles upon contact. Range: Striped Cucumber Beetle: Damage from cucumber beetles can devastate these plants, but with a little cucumber beetle control, you can keep this harmful pests from destroying your cucumber and cucurbit crops. The OMRI listed beneficial nematodes can be used by both residential and commercial users. Cucumber beetles are the most important insect pests of vine crops or cucurbits (cucumber, squash, melons, and pumpkins) in New York State and across much of the United States. Kaolin clay is reported to act by making cucurbit crops unattractive to cucumber beetles and because it gums up the beetles’ antennae and otherwise irritates them. Ants have been shown to be important egg predators in the tropics, and likely are important elsewhere. Beneficial nematodes will attack larvae that might get under the surface of the soil, killing them quite effectively. You should dig the soil in the late fall. Beneficial nematodes are sold by the large garden centres as well as online and each type is specific to the larval species it controls. Striped cucumber beetles are specialists on cucurbits (such as cucumbers, squash, pumpkin, watermelons) while spotted cucumber beetles feed on other plants in addition to cucurbits. 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