The (Bad) Bugs of Summer

 If only gardening was as easy as planting a seed and harvesting yummy food. Unfortunately, there's a bit more to it then that and one of the major culprits are destructive bugs. Just to be clear, the vast majority of insects that you see in your garden are either beneficial or just hanging out. However, there are some you need to be on the look out for. Here are some common pests I've delt with and what I do. 

Japanese Beetles. The only good thing about them is that they only hand around a few weeks and only on certain plants. Thank heavens because they destroy all the foliage on what they do like while they're around. They like my raspberries, zinnias, apricot, almond, cherry, grape vines and apple trees. I just pick them off and put them in soapy water. I've heard Neem Oil will work too if you need it. 

Mexican Bean Beetle larva (top little yellow thing) and eggs. You'll find these mostly on beans. The will chew your plants up. I mostly look for eggs to smash but you can treat the larva with Insecticidal soap. Be sure to thoroughly clean up debris when plants are done so the bugs don't overwinter. 

Squash Bug eggs. Copper colored and always on the underside of leaves. If you see them, remove them or squish them. If they hatch out you'll have tons of little white bugs with black legs that suck the life out of your squash plants. Eventually, they turn into adults that look like an XL version of stink bugs. 

Tomato Horn Worm (This one is sporting parasitic wasp eggs). Keep an eye on your tomato plants for damage and then hunt down and destroy these caterpillars before they destroy your plant. They are voracious but I've had success just by picking them off and destroying them (with tongs mind you, I aint touching that!).

Last, but not least are the squash vine borers. I don't have a picture. You don't really see them so much as the damage they do. They are the worst bug on this list. A little moth lays and egg on the base of your squash stem. When the egg emerges, the larva chew into your squash vine and kill it. You can try to keep it from getting into your plant by covering the base of your vines in foil. You can also sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth around the base of your plants to kill larva as they hatch. If you see holes in the base of your vines you can stick a wire up them to kill larva. This year I'm experimenting with different varieties of squash and companion planting with cover crops. 

What bugs have you had problems with in your gardens? How did you handle it? Feel free to post in the comment section below.