Florida Agricultural Experiment Station


 A wilted vine
 S should be inves-
 tigated and if the
 entrance hole
 made by the
 worm, about
 which there is
 b usually alitt 1 e
 u fras, is found the
 e vine should be
 = cut open and the
 d I worm removed.
FIG. 103.-Squash-vine borer: a, Adult: b, adult with Be ure cut the
wings folded; c, eggs on stalk; d, larva at work; e,t t
 pupa; f, cocoon. One-third larger than natural size. stem only length-
 (From U. S. Bur. of Ent.)
 wise and never
across the fibers and the vine probably will recover. To induce
i to take root beyond the injury, cover the vine with dirt.
 SQUASH-BUG (Anasa tristis)
 These squash-bugs (fig. 104) are large brownish-black, ob-
long bugs, somewhat over a half inch long, which frequent in
groups the under sides of the stems of squashes, suck the sap,
cause the plants to wilt and perhaps die. They are shy crea-
tures and when approached move to the other side of the stem
out of sight. They are not nearly so destructive to squashes in
Florida as in more northern states, perhaps because they do
riot become active in the spring until the main crop of squashes
is too nearly mature to be seriously damaged. The adults are
common in summer, feeding on various wild plants.
 The eggs are laid in bunches on the under side of the
leaves and commonly in the angles formed by the larger veins.
They are brownish in color and quite conspicuous. The newly-
hatched nymph (fig. 104) is oval with yellow abdomen, black
thorax, and pink feelers (antennae). After the first molting
the nymphs become black with gray thorax.
 Hand picking is about the only practical
method of control, altho the young may be
killed by tobacco sprays. The egg masses
should -also be picked off or crushed.

 OTHER SQUASH PESTS
 FIa. 104.-Squash-bug:
 Other insects attacking the squash are: Young nymphs and
 om adult. Natural size.
Pickle worm and melon worm (see under (From U. S. Bur. of
 Ent.) 7