What insect eats through stems of zucchini plants leaving flowers on the ground, & how do u get rid of them?
Question:I have already dusted with an insecticide and still finding flowers on the ground. Not finding anything under leaves or around the plant either
Answers:
That is because it is not a bug! It is a slug. Set beer out for the little monsters by digging a hole and placing a cup or can in it so the lip is level with the ground...they can not resist. In a few days you will have a nice sludge of dead slugs in it. Toss out the can and repeat.
OR...
You could have a ground hog...they are notorious for biting off blossoms and not eating them...they did it again this year to my tulips and daffodils (grrr)
OR
Zucchini have flowers when they are still young that do not produce any fruit and they just fall off. I have read these are to attract pollinating insects to the area. If this is a very young plant that could be what is happening.
It is not squash vine borer because I have had those...they are internal...you would notice the plant starting to wilt and see a mushy dried pulp outside a hole in the vine. They do not cause the flowers to drop.
Aphids suck fluids...they do not cut through anything.
FYI, Sevin is NOT safe and is supposed to be off the market in the next few years (although I'll believe it when I see it)
RE: sevin
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/facts-slides...
http://www.safe2use.com/poisons-pesticid...
It is also TOXIC TO BEES! which you need to pollinate your flowers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/pesticide_t...
Sounds like possible Squash vine borers to me. Can be very difficult to control, since they are inside the vine.
Preventive treatments are best. Start to apply insecticides when the vines begin to run. Chemicals used for borer control in gardens are methoxychlor, rotenone, pyrethrum, malathion, or carbaryl (Sevin), applied as sprays or dusts. Continue on a 7 to 10 day reapplication schedule for 3 to 5 weeks. If plants wilt, look for the presence of holes and ooze. If found, the stem can be slit and the borer removed and destroyed. If the plant is not dead, cover the damaged area with soil and keep the plant moist.
my best guess is afrids (sp?) and ladybugs eat them.
sevin dust or sevin spray 80, you can buy it at a farm supply store, one of the best uses for sevin dust is to treat your yard with it it will kill every tick in your yard and keep them away for the summer. Read the back of the bag or spray and it will tell about all the things it will rid your garden or yard of. It's really good in your garden because it won't hurt people, just wash it off you if you get any spilled on you and you can eat anything out of your garden within 3 days just wash it off good in clear water. I haved used sevin dust for years it's great see for your self.
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