My apologies for so many garden questions,,, but I’ve actually got a good one going this year and want to maintain it,,, that being said,,, how do you guys successfully combat squash bugs?? Sevindust is worthless against them

I just put seven dust on my pumpkin/squash plants yesterday.
Major infestation.
Not a single bug today?

I read an article from our ag university that suggested the vine borer wasp prefers straight neck to crooked neck. The author suggested planting one straight neck plant away from the others as a sacrificial plant. Spray and/or dust the others but not the straight neck.

Haven’t tried it.

There used to be a thing about putting a few squash bugs in a blender and spraying bug juice on your plants. Apparently the squash bugs (and many other beetles) emit a stress pheromone when being blended which serves to scare off other would be offenders.

Of the products listed spinosad is the least harmful to pollinators especially if applied at dusk when pollinators are least active.

Captain Jack's dead bug. Yes we spray at dusk to limit killing bees.

Spinosads (as a certified organic grower) are one of the only effective insecticides that I can use for a variety of troublesome pests.

malathion will take care of them.

I spray them with neem oil and little insecticidal soap. Clears them right up

Fire

I use DE. Does it work? I'm not sure of anything but it seemed last year to keep my zucchini plants fairly bug free, and this year separately, to keep cucumber bugs off AND possibly to kill some early blight. I like it. Seems to work.

Now for buttercup squash I wrapped the stems (c. 4-5" from base) with aluminum foil which seemed to work pretty well if you get to it soon enough.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00025H2PY/

Liquid seven goes a long ways, powder goes fast

Still is.

Have you tried just squashing them?

Keith