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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Cucumber Beetles] Surround WP for corn earwormcontrol

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  • From: "Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Cucumber Beetles] Surround WP for corn earwormcontrol
  • Date: Wed, 8 Sep 2004 13:01:41 -0500



>Bill -
>
>What more do you know about cucumber beetles? Do they actually have
>natural enemies? (Or did they at one point?) Are there practical
>controls for them in the organic arena? -Allan
>

They are a native insect that was largely confined to the west, roughly the
same geographical area that pumpkins and squash originated from. As squash
and pumpkins migrated east, so did they. Then europeans brought melons and
cucumbers, which the beetles love. the relationship between beetles and
bacterial wilt seems to have been established prior to europeans arriving.
Squash and pumpkins can contract bacterial wilt but seldom succumb to it. On
the other hand, muskmelons and cucumbers are extremely susceptible to it.

I have hopes that a natural enemy like Bt will be found for this insect but
I've not heard of one yet. The most effective organic strategy I'm familiar
with is exclusion, by use of spun-bonded row covers. Put them over melon or
cucumber transplants immediately after planting. Leave them on until
flowering, when they need to be removed to accomodate bee pollination. At
that point, if free of the bacteria, the plants will become productive. The
insect is usually in decline in it's life cycle (depending on the season,
location, etc.). The plants also benefit from the row covers by growing
faster. I'm not aware of another practical strategy that qualifies as
organic.

Bill Shoemaker
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
Univ of Illinois - St Charles Hort Research Center




  • Re: [Market-farming] Cucumber Beetles] Surround WP for corn earwormcontrol, Bill Shoemaker, 09/08/2004

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