Striped Cucumber Beetle (A Natural Control)

Every spring, cucumber beetles come out ready to wreak havoc! There are many species of cucumber beetles, and most are destructive primarily to cucumber and melon plants.

Life cycle

The adult beetles overwinter in garden debris, and emerge in the spring to feed and mate. They then lay eggs in the soil at the base of plants, which hatch about a week later. Larvae spend a week or two in the soil, where they feed primarily on plant roots and stems before pupating. It is during this time that nematodes can hunt down and kill cucumber beetle larvae. For more on telling the kinds apart, see our cucumber beetles page in Pest ID. Depending on the climate, there are 1 to 3 generations of cucumber beetle per year.

Natural control with beneficial nematodes

The beneficial nematodes in BioLogic's Scanmask hunt down and kill cucumber beetle larvae in the soil. We recommend treating with Scanmask in June or July to kill the larvae and to prevent new adult cucumber beetles from emerging in late summer. Treat with about 25,000 Scanmask nematodes per square foot.

There are many reasons to consider BioLogic's nematode products for pest control. Beneficial nematodes are an all natural control, and pose no risk to people, pets, plants or other beneficials like earthworms, bees or praying mantises. They also last longer than many conventional pesticides. Depending on conditions, beneficial nematodes typically live in the soil at populations high enough to control pests for about a year, and often longer. Early summer is the perfect time to treat with Scanmask and stop cucumber beetles in their tracks (er... in the dirt)!

Happy gardening!