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formerly RGG

When Chris was out here a few weeks ago, he pointed out a few cucumber beetles he noticed on my plants. Actually I had already noticed them myself. I have sprayed for them endlessly and have killed literally hundreds of them. There are piles of dead cucumber beetles under some of my vines. I have been using imidacloprid, diazinon and malathion on them and they seem to keep dying but more keep appearing.I spray the entire plant surfaces both on top and underneath. I think there is a big infestation of them somewhere close by and they are very attracted to my melon vines. I have never had a cucumber beetle problem in the past. All I know to do is keep spraying and killing them as long as they keep flying in.I have noticed very little actual damage to my plants from these pests. Thoughts ?

5/5/2012 10:57:09 PM

Muddy Waters

Are you spraying the weeds in the surrounding area? I know they dont make cucumber beetle traps,or do they?My friend said she dont use traps,somebody told her they draw more bugs to your garden then ever before.I dont know if I buy that?But if you do.Set the traps up at your neighbors garden.tell them there a gift.LOL!

5/6/2012 6:19:41 AM

Muddy Waters

Ok Dennis! Heres the plan.Go to local greenhouse buy a 1/2 dozen cucumber plants.Plant them at the other end of your property or 300-500feet away from patch or plant them at your neighbors.Then spray them as they Show up.This should lower the #s your getting on the melons & reduce future populations in the future.

5/6/2012 6:27:39 AM

Muddy Waters

lol!

5/6/2012 8:21:47 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

dennis, get garlic barrier, while it wont kill them, they will leave.

5/6/2012 8:32:41 AM

formerly RGG

Thanks Tom.

5/6/2012 9:05:02 AM

Muddy Waters

Nice Plants Dennis I saw The beetle lower center of screen,tried to smash him,know I need a new screen.lol

5/6/2012 6:20:33 PM

formerly RGG

LOL Mark !

5/6/2012 11:24:06 PM

Muddy Waters

I use the garlic barrier to keep people back,works well.lol

5/7/2012 7:13:44 AM

Lexington, Ky

"The big infestation is somewhere close by"......you are the infestation! LOL.

5/7/2012 9:10:00 AM

formerly RGG

That isn't true 1320. I have seen them dying as fast as they fly in and have found no eggs on my plants. And what do you think is so funny ? Are you saying I am stupid ?

5/7/2012 4:23:10 PM

Lexington, Ky

Let me know if you ever see a cucumber beetle egg, I'd like to see a picture.

"Dying as fast as they fly in"....so, they just mysteriously die when they fly over your patch and land under your vines?

Would you have cuke beetles if you didn't have a garden?

Your plants are the attractant not some "big infestation somewhere close by"....that's what I found amusing. Yes, you are stupid.

5/8/2012 8:22:52 AM

Hot West Tennessee

Knock on wood, so far I have only seen one. Maybe because I have a bluebird house in my garden and the parents are trying to keep four hungry mouths feed. Thats just my theory.

5/8/2012 8:57:14 AM

formerly RGG

Thank you for being such a nice person 1320. :o)

5/8/2012 2:37:48 PM

formerly RGG

The cucumber beetles die when they consume the poisons on my vines. I thought you understood that 1320. There is no mystery as to why they die. Would I have cucumber beetles if I didn't have a garden ? That is a silly question as I have been gardening since I have been old enough to walk. But I think there would probably be a few as I doubt if these bugs feed exclusively on cucurbits and they do fly around locating new food sources. Anyway I am happy you are so concerned about it. My plants are definitely an attractant but I find it unbelievable they are breeding any kind of insects as I have kept them very well sprayed with preventatives. I am happy for you that you are amused 1320. Oh, and here is a link to a picture of cucumber beetle eggs since you seem to be wanting to see some.

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/wp-content/uploads//2009/08/striped_cucumber_beetle_eggs.jp

But there will be no pictures of them from my vines since they are not breeding on my vines. I really appreciate all of your concern. I hope things get better for you. I know it must be tough living with the type of attitude that causes you to belittle and make fun of people.Have a nice life. You will now be joining Amelio on my ignore list.

5/8/2012 3:21:12 PM

Muddy Waters

Let it go Dennis its not worth it

5/8/2012 8:13:53 PM

formerly RGG

You are right Mark. I have blocked 1320. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. lol I just don't know what I did to make him call me stupid. I guess he was having a bad day. I admit I am sometimes ignorant but ignorance can be overcome. There is not much a person can do about stupidity.

5/8/2012 9:40:22 PM

Muddy Waters

Yeah he gave some crap to.

5/9/2012 7:00:40 AM

Muddy Waters

Stupid is as Stupid does,Thats all I got to say about that.BaBa!LOL

5/9/2012 7:04:23 AM

Lexington, Ky

For what it's worth, my initial reply to this ended with an all caps "LOL". Simple humour, that's all, wasn't calling anyone stupid, nothing more. It was obvious that your request for comments was satisfactorily answered so I thought it wouldn't hurt to add a laugh to a serious concern.

I've been around this site long enough to know how easily offended and confrontational your are so...rule number one, I rarely respond to your posts and number two, when I do, I try to use kid gloves so I don't hurt your feelings. I honestly didn't think there was anything in my initial comment that would set you off, my bad.

5/9/2012 10:15:23 AM

Sugar Hill , Georgia

Hey TD I was looking at your grower diary and I noticed you put down netting , can you explain to me your use of netting under the plants? Does it significantly help?

5/9/2012 3:44:02 PM

formerly RGG

Zlatic, I use the netting to give the vine tendrils something to wrap around to hold the vines in place.

5/9/2012 6:22:24 PM

formerly RGG

Also, today I began using plastic coathanger pieces again to help direct the vines and keep them where I want them.

5/9/2012 9:28:11 PM

formerly RGG

Actually Zlatic, the netting is not really a great help. I may not use it again. I find the coathanger pieces to be more helpful in training my vines.

5/10/2012 11:54:44 AM

Sugar Hill , Georgia

Usually as I'm steadily staking the down a bit to train them I find they usually grab onto the stakes and that seems to be doing fine , I have also elected to go with the landscape fabric and I am beyond pleased ! Really doing great , how are your grafted plants doing in comparison to your regulars so far? Or is the difference more obvious later?

5/10/2012 4:33:37 PM