Identifying Cucumber Beetles
The adult spotted cucumber beetle is yellow, with twelve black spots on its back. The striped cucumber beetle also has a yellow body but has three black stripes along its back. Both are the same size, roughly a quarter of an inch long. The larvae are white grubs with brownish heads. The larva of the spotted cucumber beetle is known as the corn rootworm and can be a severe problem for corn and other agricultural crops.
Life Cycle
Adult cucumber beetles overwinter in the garden, in compost piles or in trash heaps, then emerge in spring. The adults feed on weeds and other available plants until their preferred food source—cucurbits (such as cucumbers, squashes, and melons)—are available. Once the beetles locate cucurbits, they feed on the plants and the females lay their eggs in the surrounding soil. After the eggs hatch, the larvae (now called rootworms) feed on below-ground cucurbit roots and stems until they pupate. Then, the adult insects emerge from the pupae and the cycle starts all over again. The entire life cycle of the insect is about eight weeks. Southern climates may see three full generations of cucumber beetles in a single growing season, while northern climates typically see only two.
Signs of Cucumber Beetle
Cucumber beetle damage is fairly easy to spot: damage from feeding on the leaves, scarring on the fruit, and girdled stems from feeding larvae. Most commonly, this damage is found on cucumbers, squashes, melons, and pumpkins, but it can also be found on tomatoes and other garden crops if cucurbits are unavailable or if there are more beetles than the available cucurbits can support.
Effect on Garden Plants
Most every part of the plant can be affected, including girdled stems, chewed leaves, and marks on the fruit. However, the worst damage is not from the insects themselves but from bacterial wilt. The bacteria is secreted in the beetle’s stomach, and as the insects feed they spread it to the plant. The bacteria spread to the plant’s vascular system, which causes the leaves to wilt. If not contained (by pruning infected stems), the wilt will eventually spread and kill the entire plant. Also, plants infected with bacterial wilt attract more cucumber beetles, which will eat the infected leaves and continue spreading the bacteria throughout the garden.
Controlling Cucumber Beetles
There are a number of environmentally friendly ways to control cucumber beetles:
Protect young cucurbit seedlings from cucumber beetles by covering them right after planting with floating row covers, individual screens, or cones.Try planting cucurbits later in the season. Similar plants established earlier in other nearby gardens will attract any beetles in the area, and therefore spare your plants. Remove and destroy (don’t compost) plants infected with bacterial wilt immediately so that they don’t attract more beetles to the area. Adult beetles found on plants can be hand-picked and squashed.Mulch the ground with straw, hay, plastic, or fabric to deter cucumber beetles from laying eggs in the ground near the plants; however, this will not eliminate them entirely.I
Most gardens will see a few cucumbers beetles throughout the season. If you see just a handful, don’t hurry out to grab the chemical spray. An infestation, however, can become a serious threat to the harvest that could require chemical intervention. Applying a non-systemic insecticide, such as malathion, usually is the best choice. This is a class of pesticide that remains on the surfaces of the plant and can be removed with water. Multiple applications may be required, especially following rain, if the infestation persists. Always follow all manufacturer precautions including personal safety when applying chemical pesticides in the garden. Some labels may include a warning to avoid harvesting for a brief period following application.
