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Vegetable Gardening

Please help me identify insects on cucumber

3 years ago

This cucumber was thriving until this week when all manner of insects descended on it, sending it into this death spiral. I've cut off the worst leaves. Now what?

Featured Answer

vgkg Z-7 Va

3 years ago

Ants shouldn't be a problem unless they are herding aphids on the plant or drilling holes into a cuke to seek water. Pics 3 & 4 & 5 appear to be nymph versions of certain insects but can only guess at those. Don't see a bug in pic 6.

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Comments (6)

vgkg Z-7 Va
3 years ago
First pic looks like ants

Second pic looks like natural forming cuke spur/spikes
kitasei2
Original Author
3 years ago
Yes, ants. Are they the problem? Please zoom in on rest of pictures to see other insects. Some are beetle like. Others tiny white spiders??
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No, but I have also noticed they are not much of a problem. They do chew small holes but there are not many of them most of the time to do a lot of damage. I am currently having a problem with cucumber beetles. They ruined much of my squash and cukes last year, and this year I see a few, but not as many. They are on my ground cherry plants. I actually had to break down and apply some sevin dust..(ugh, shuttering at the though)..but nothing else seems to work. I have tried Neem oil and that does not work well.
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How big was it? The sketch looks like it may have been a velvet ant, a type of wingless wasp. Has a nasty sting, so if you handled it and didn't get stung, we can safely assume that was not it. Check the link below for a picture. Colors may vary. Tucker Here is a link that might be useful: Velvet ant
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What is your location in the world? It looks more like a blister beetle to me, but one not of North America. Burying beetles have shortened elytra, leaving their behinds hanging out. They also have cute little knobs on their antennae, something that blister beetles do not have.
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Dry it out. e.g.: Decrease watering. Reduce humidity. Increase temperature. Set out a fan to circulate the air.
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Paulina
3 years ago
I agree. The first pic definitely looks like ants.

Try cleaning plant off, both sides of leaves with sticky tape or giving the stems and leaves a good shake. Once clear of bugs, spray with a solution of neem oil and water. Neem is a lifesaver in the garden! Have used it successfully to eliminate leaf hoppers on cucumber plant and peppers and used on Rose of Sharon branches.

Here are some pictures of my once sickly cucumber plant. Today it's healthy and thriving thanks to the help and insight of fellow posters and some neem oil ;-).

Hope this helps.

Good luck Kitasei2! Let us know how it goes.
kitasei2 thanked Paulina
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
3 years ago
I see a lacewing larvae, a leaf footed bug nymph, a weevil of some kind.
kitasei2 thanked rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
kitasei2
Original Author
3 years ago
Great suggestion about sticky tape! I sprayed with a diluted dawn soap solution but will go to work with tape snd neem oil toorrow!

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