Update that marigolds and nasturtiums without flowers did not repel the svb,neither did my homemade concoction of tobacco, redpeppers, black pepper, vegetable oil, and dish soap. It rained a few hours after I applied it, today new eggs all over them. I'm giving up organic at least with the svb, trying stuff with methoxychor, or best I've heard yet is this: "A second planting of summer squash made in early July will mature after adult borers have finished laying eggs. " Another nice suggestion: "Mulches are known to harbor squash bugs" http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/squash_pest.html "Iowa State University Organics Research Program conducted trials of various control methods for squash bug and squash vine borer. Researchers found that mulching with newspaper and hay, combined with tightly secured row covers on the plots (a level 2 control), provided very effective control of both weeds and squash bugs in pumpkin (C. pepo)Âespecially in the wet season of 2002.(4, 5) The row covers apparently excluded squash bugs, preventing them from entering to lay eggs. Gauze row covers (e.g., ReemayÂ, AgriforceÂ, AgribonÂ, TufbellÂ) [Section 205.206(b)(1),(2),(3)] physically exclude pests and prevent them from reaching the plants in large numbers. Preventive strategies have become more important with recognition of A. tristis as a probable disease vector. Hand picking and trapping of A. tristis, or slitting each vine to remove the larva, in the case of M. satyriniformis, represent attempts to control pests after they have begun rearing another generation in numbers sufficient to cause economic damage and pest buildup. Such labor-intensive controls may be uneconomical for large plantings." "Some products acceptable in organic vegetable production that are effective against squash bugs include diatomaceous earth, sabodilla, and neem oil. Growers that anticipate using materials to control heavy pest infestations must list these materials and the circumstances for their use in their organic systems plan. This plan must be submitted to and approved by the organic certifier before the producer uses any material." What is a sabodilla? I found a tree by that name, is it the same thing? Here is a link that might be useful: svb info

I'm with you. SVB has been my biggest problem and I am looking for an organic way to handle them. I have put hoops over the squash bed with summer weight row covers over it. When the plants begin to blossom, I am going to go to the trouble to hand pollinate and keep the plants covered. This is feasible since I only have two hills of squash. In a huge bed, maybe not so much. FYI, the borers will also lay eggs in the soil, which can overwinter and have babies waiting for next year's crop. Be sure to rotate your squash bed! Also, there are varieties of squash that are immune to these borers: moschata being one. The trouble is, the squash we like best are also the moth's favorites. This is the method I have chosen for this year, based on what I have read on the internet and, most importantly, in this forum. I will post to let you know how it works.

Granny, until recently I was totally organic in the garden. When I would have an infestation of some kind, the organic correction was only marginally successful. I do not know if it was just me or my location or what. I wish these various links would define what they mean when they say "control". I assume they mean that you bring the population down to an acceptable level. To me an acceptable level is one, either male or female but not both. I see my only options right now as being, use BBG or not growing squash for a couple of years. I am so upset over this that I am going to have an IT instead of a BM. Ok so I told one little lie. :o) John Here is a link that might be useful: Johns Journal

No, I have never tried traps. Reason being who can predict they will go straight for the big yellow trap first before landing on a leaf and depositing a few evil babies? I just don't trust them. As for BT, that stuff is AMAZING on hornworms! I sprayed my tomato plants last year after finding one, and within a few days you can spot those nasty buggers dead because they starve and turn brown. I wouldn't trust that for SVB though either because SVB bore INTO the stem or branch, and eat the insides of the plants, not the outsides like hornworms. I know that some people inject it into the plant. I never tried that. We started constructing our row cover thing yesterday. I also filled up my sprayers with neem and BT. Ready for the bug war.