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Post by txdirtdog on Apr 8, 2011 13:36:03 GMT -5
Just spotted the first SVB moth about noon in the garden. He was after the Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck squash plants of all things. Passed by several maxima types to get to them too.
If you are near this area and haven't set up your SVB defenses, it's time.
Good luck to ya!
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Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2011 20:53:52 GMT -5
Just a question, what is the defenses for SVB moth, and where do squash bugs come from..?? The ground, the air, where???
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Post by txdirtdog on May 22, 2011 22:03:53 GMT -5
Welcome to NJT Roomtogrow!
Well, being as I'm not an expert, take what I say with a grain or 2 of salt. Buuuuut,
The methods I have either read or used vs. SVBs are:
Cover the plants with some type of row cover or mosquito netting, etc. with a tight enough weave to the material that the SVB moth can't get through the material to the plants to lay their eggs. The edges of the material would have to be anchored so that wind doesn't whip up the sides of the material. With this method you can try to time removal of the cover for the early morning when the bees are active (supposedly the SVBs tend to work more in the middle of the day - not 100% sure that I agree with that) and recover after an hour or 2. Or you can hand pollenate the female flowers when they appear. Another potential pitfall with this method is that I understand SVBs overwinter in the soil or mulch. If you cover the plants and the SVBs come up from overwintering and are under the covers.....
I have heard of people wrapping slit open large straws around the leaf stems and main stem of the squash vine to deter the moths from laying eggs on the stems. wrapping tinfoil or other materials would fall in this same catagory.
using Baccilus Thurengis (spelling?) aka BT on the stems and undersides of leaves to affect the borer grub so that it stops eating. This is the method I am using this year. I've gotten lax a few times in keeping up the BT usage, and the result is I've had to cut out several SVB grubs out of the main stems of a few plants. I have lost a total of 2 plants at this point. Still much better than the wholesale slaughter of squash plants that I experienced last spring.
Grow types that are resistant to the SVBs. Most Moschata type of squash do not have a hollow stem, and the grubs have a hard time eating into the stem. I believe most Mixta type of squash are solid stemmed as well, but I am not positive on this statement. This is not foolproof, as last spring it didn't matter if the plants had a hollow stem or a solid one, the SVBs hit them all. This spring tho, the hollow stemmed squash types seem to be getting more attention from the SVBs than the solid stemmed varieties.
There are a number of other methods to combat SVBs, but to me, these seem to have more potential merit than most.
I believe squash bugs also overwinter in soil and mulch/debris. Although like most stink bug types they do fly as well. Helps them find food and thus our squash plants.
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