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Cucumber beetles

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From: Marilyn Miller City: Naperville , IL
What is the best way to control cucumber beetles? Each year about this time just when we are to begin harvesting cucumbers, we get overrun with beetles. It is almost like they appear overnight. I have read that they over winter in th soil. Is there some product that can be used in the off season to help with this problem and what is the best method of control during the season? They also attack the beans, swiss chard, and basil.
	Extension Message From: Ron Wolford Extension Educator, Horticulture Cook County Unit rwolford@illinois.edu
Hi Marilie, You might want to take another look at those beetles. They may be western corn rootworm beetles which look just like cucumber beetles and just hit the Chicago area in the last two weeks in huge numbers. Treating them with the insecticide Sevin or Rotenone are the most effective controls. Check out the following websites for more info: Cucumber beetles ( http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/hfrr/extensn/problems/cucbeet.htm ) and western corn rootworm beetle ( http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/factsheets/Cucurbit_Beetles.htm )
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