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Squash bugs (lemmy.world)
submitted 5 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

I thought these were aphids the other day and finally decided to do an image search. I clipped some leaves that had eggs and newly hatched larvae, threw that specific zucchini away, and squished a bunch more. I also used some dead bug brew.

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[-] [email protected] 5 points 5 days ago

Will diatomaceous earth work on them?

[-] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

Not in my experience. Even if you coat the eggs and them directly.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago

I believe that diatomaceous earth works on all insects. It's not poison; it's finely ground silica, and it essentially wrecks their insect lungs. It will also wreck your lungs if you aren't careful with it (silicosis is super-bad, m'kay?). The issue will be getting it where it needs to be to affect them, and you'll have to re-apply after rain.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 5 hours ago

Actually diatomaceous earth isn't silica - it's fossilized diatom skeletons that works by physically cutting insects' exoskeletons causing them to dehydrate, not by affecting thier lungs.

this post was submitted on 19 Jul 2025
50 points (100.0% liked)

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