squash bug

noun

1. a dark-brown bug, Anasa tristis, that sucks the sap from the leaves of squash, pumpkin, and other plants of the gourd family.

squash bug

noun

1. any of various heteropterous insects of the family Coreidae , esp a North American species, Anasa tristis , which is a pest of squash, pumpkin, and related plants

Word History and Origins

Origin of squash bug¹

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

“There’s always room for improvement. For example, everybody wants cucumbers, but we don’t have any right now,” he says, lamenting the loss of a week’s crop to a swarm of squash bugs.

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A packet of radish seeds could help fight the flea beetles on your new tomato transplants, and nasturtiums sown among your zucchini may limit the damage done by squash bugs.

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A caveat: Cabbage worms, flea beetles, squash bugs and other insects may overwinter in the soil in some life stage.

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Thorough cleanup, pulling plants and removing them to a distance can reduce overwintering opportunities for common opponents — that includes squash bugs; Brassica pests, such as various cabbageworm species; and cucumber and bean beetles.

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Use positive and negative control data sets to ensure you get the expected results, and run those tests throughout development to squash bugs as they arise.

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