If you had cucumbers or muskmelons that suddenly turned brown and
died last year, you may have had a disease known as bacterial wilt. The
cucumber beetle carries this disease. Once a plant is infected, there is
no cure, so prevention is the key. Because cucumber beetles overwinter
as adults, early control measures are essential. There are two types of
cucumber beetles: striped and spotted. The striped cucumber beetle is
the most common. The 1/4-inch-long beetles are conspicuously colored:
black head and antennae, straw-yellow thorax, and yellowish wing covers
with three distinct parallel and longitudinal black stripes. Young
plants can be protected with row covers, cones, or other types of
mechanical barriers. Edges must be sealed to ensure that the beetles do
not find a place to enter. Plants will eventually outgrow these
barriers, or they will need to be removed to allow insect pollination of
the flowers. Apply insecticides before beetles are noticed in the
planting. Continue to spray weekly throughout the season.
Homeowners can use permethrin (numerous trade names). Once plants
have started flowering, spray in the evening after bees have returned to
the hive. Check labels for waiting periods between when you spray and
when the fruit can be picked. (Ward Upham)
