Human Behavior and Bugs - The Touchability Factor

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug on Tomato- Garden Lady Blog

Why can I touch one insect, but cower in fear from another?


What makes a bug too repulsive to handle?

In my vegetable garden I pluck stink bugs off tomatoes and drop them in jars of soap water. I've discovered this is the quickest way to get rid of them.

Stink Bug Close Up - Garden Lady Blog

Squash bugs are a slightly longer and faster bug that I need gloves to touch. I pick up centipedes to remove them from the house, and can handle lady bugs. Daddy-longlegs are easy to grab by one long leg and carry out of the house. They are harmless and slow. Most spiders scurry away and are difficult to identify. I wouldn't pick those up.

Squash Bug - Garden Lady Blog

Recently dry weather has driven large wood roaches into my home. These insects fill me with revulsion and fear. Normally a do-it-yourself-er, I called in a pest control company after sighting a half dozen of these. I will not touch them, but, I can squash them under my shoe.

Wasp - Garden Lady Blog

Factors that make a bug too repulsive to touch:

• Excessive wiggling or other movement (like Japanese Beetles)
• Danger of stinging or biting (wasps, for example)
•  Large size (wood roaches)
•  Unknown Species

6-spotted Green Tiger Beetle - Garden Lady Blog

There are some bugs that I admire very much, but would not touch. Praying mantis, dragonflies, and butterflies are in this group. Years ago I was told handling butterfly wings would damage them permanently. (My article on identifying butterflies found in the southeastern U.S. is here.)

Spicebush Butterfly - Garden Lady Blog

Praying Mantis - Garden Lady Blog

Monarch Butterfly - Garden Lady Blog

I am fascinated by the fact that I touch some bugs and cower in fear from others. What do you think? What is your experience handling bugs? I would love to hear about it. Sincere comments will be published. Anonymous and spam-like posts will be deleted. Have a great day!

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Squash Bug Nymphs Overrun August Garden

The North Carolina garden in August is overrun with insects. Previously, I wrote about Squash Bugs and their devastating effects on squash plants. I have several friends that adhere to strict no pesticide gardening that lost their entire squash crop.

The nymphs of the Squash Bug are very active now. They hang about in groups on squash plants or remnants of the plants. While hoping for one last bit of yellow produce, I inadvertently provide them a wonderful habitat.

Good housekeeping will help curb the Squash Bug population for next year's garden.The adult bugs will overwinter in garden debris. Remove all dead plants and dispose of by burning or bagging. This is not good material for compost.

 Squash Bug Nymphs

Squash Times 2012

I picked the first squash today. It’s hard to believe the plants were put in the ground a mere 3 ½ weeks ago. 

The first squash bug made its appearance last week. Squash bugs will affect the xylem or water transporting part of the plant and lay eggs under the leaves. The plant will wilt and collapse. The best solution is a generous treatment with Sevin spray.

Refrain from harvesting for 3 days after the Sevin treatment. 

Squash Bug

Squash Bug eggs on underside of leaf

More on the attributes of squash…

All varieties are fast-growing and easy to cook. I started spaghetti and yellow squash seeds in a cold frame in late March (it was unseasonably warm). I can confess now that the yellow squash seeds were leftovers that I found in the potting shed. The spaghetti seeds were recently purchased.

An easy way to prepare yellow squash:

Slice into bite- size pieces, mix with diced onion, toss generously with olive oil, season,  and bake at 400 F for 30 minutes.