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The Garden State

I spotted my first few cuke beetles here in S. Jersey on Sunday evening. I dusted my pumpkins (and zucchini) with Sevin and Monday evening there was at least 30-40 dead cuke beetles under each plant. This is the first time I have ever encountered this menace so naturally I have some questions.
How long does the cuke beetle onslaught normally last? Is it okay to spray my plants with neptune's harvest and then spray or dust with Sevin?

6/7/2005 9:17:09 PM

Hudsonville, Michigan (michiganpumpkins@sbcglobal.net)

Mudcat....they come in waves. Duration and frequency depend on how well you control them to start with. Be vigilant. Now that you've seen them, I'd spray regularly as a preventative (once weekly or so), rather than waiting to see them again. If you see them again, step up the spraying....
Frank

6/8/2005 7:38:38 AM

Montoursville, PA

As they emerge from the soil they go to flowers for pollen. The spend two weeks running about the leaves spreading their woe and munching pollen. Then they return to ground and lay large amounts of eggs to assure their presence next year. Unchecked they will become worse each year. The real damage you do not see is the endless munching they do on your roots underground. They can become great enough in number to destroy the young growing plant.

More than a few of us have at one time or another thought their root eating and resulting visable stress was a fungal problem. They start stirring about underground about two to three weeks ahead, of your planting the pumpkin, in the patch. Your cold frames and hoop houses give them an early start.

6/9/2005 8:37:14 AM