Hi, Sue. Last year gray squash-eating bugs appeared in my garden around the kubocha squash vines. I read that applications of a Neem oil-water mixture sprayed on both sides of the leaves and vines would get rid of them. It worked. This year, I attempted to be proactive and looked for eggs to remove them before they became nefarious insects. But I couldn’t keep up and the bugs are back. I’ve been applying the Neem oil-water mixture. Is there anything else I can do to combat the bugs? Is there something I can do next year to prevent the insect infestation from returning? I’d appreciate any advice that you have. Thank you.
— Bob Orenstein PS: Say hi to Fran, who would have taken much better photos of my pests.
Gray squash-eating bugs sound like squash bugs to me. The adult squash bugs (Anasa tristis) are large (about 5/8 inches