f you’ve ever planted squash, zucchini, or pumpkins, you’ve almost certainly encounter a squash bug (Anasa tristis). And if you’ve encountered one squash bug, you’ve almost certainly encountered more than one squash bug. They seem to appear out of nowhere and multiply faster than a mathematician. They’re a bane of the everyday gardener, but that doesn’t mean they’re unworthy of a closer look!
A “baby” squash bug.
It was on the back of my hand.
Squash bugs hatch from eggs, usually laid on the underside of leaves.
They feed by sticking their mouth-part (tucked beneath the body in all of these images) to suck juices from squash plants.
The long legs of the immature bugs give them a comical (or I suppose nightmarish) appearance.
Here’s one that’s a bit older and plumper.
Eventually this is what they turn into – big squash bugs, ready to fly to a squash plant near you!
If you have squash plants, be on the lookout these freeloaders and their eggs. Or invite them over once you realize you planted way too many zucchini.
*No squash bugs were harmed in the making of this blog post.
**This blog post has been made.
5 Responses
Allison Barnett
I might be less likely to squash the next one I see….
Mark HortonAuthor
The little ones are kind of cute, for bugs.
Barb
Hahahaha! I won’t have a problem squishing a squash bug at all! And tucking their long sucking mouth part beneath them is interesting, for sure! 🙂 Out of the way, I guess, while they go about their business!
Mark HortonAuthor
Maybe they need those long legs so their mouth parts don’t hit the ground when they fold up.
Lynn
All I have to say is they are ugly and pests!! But impressed with your macro photos on the babies and eggs!! I enjoy reading what you write also!
I might be less likely to squash the next one I see….
The little ones are kind of cute, for bugs.
Hahahaha! I won’t have a problem squishing a squash bug at all! And tucking their long sucking mouth part beneath them is interesting, for sure! 🙂 Out of the way, I guess, while they go about their business!
Maybe they need those long legs so their mouth parts don’t hit the ground when they fold up.
All I have to say is they are ugly and pests!! But impressed with your macro photos on the babies and eggs!! I enjoy reading what you write also!