Squash Bugs in Home Gardens

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Suzanne Burkness and Jeff Hahn, University of Minnesota

The squash bug, Anasa tristis, is common throughout the United States. It primarily attacks squash and pumpkins but can also attack other cucurbits, such as cucumbers.
IDENTIFICATION

Adult squash bugs (fig. 1) are somewhat flattened, large insects, measuring 5/8 inch long and 1/3 inch wide. They are usually dark gray to dark brown. The edges of their abdomens protrude beyond their wings and typically have alternating orangish and brown stripes.
The eggs are elliptical, 1/16 in. long, and yellowish to bronze (fig. 2). The nymphs range in size from 1/10 to ½ inch in length as they progress through five stages called instars. The young nymphs when they first hatch have a light green abdomen and black heads and legs (fig. 3). As the nymphs grow larger, they first turn light gray (fig. 4) and then progressively brownish gray (fig. 5), with black legs and antennae.

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