Cucumber beetles are the most important insect pests of vine crops or cucurbits (cucumber, squash, melons, and pumpkins) in Atlantic Canada. The striped cucumber and the spotted cucumber beetle occur in the Northeast of US and Canada
Not only cucumber beetles can cause losses to cucurbits by direct feeding on young plants, blossoms, and fruit but they also are vector bacterial wilt.
If not controlled cucumber beetles can destroy entire crop.
For organic producers row covers can be very effective by creating a physical barrier between crop and insect. However, floating row covers need to be removed at the time when crop begins to flower so that pollinators can get in and do their job.
For chemical control, drench with Admire insecticide has been the most effective and in some years may provide season long control.
Growers are advised to monitor crop for cucumber beetle and apply insecticide at the first sing of insect in the field.
For detail information about registered pesticides please visit:
Cucumbers: http://agrapoint.ca/Pest%20Management%20Guides/Vegetables/2012/Cucumber%202012.pdf
Squash: http://agrapoint.ca/Pest%20Management%20Guides/Vegetables/2012/Pumpkin%20and%20Squash%202012.pdf
Melons: http://agrapoint.ca/Pest%20Management%20Guides/Vegetables/2012/Melons%202012.pdf
