Diabrotica spp., Acalymma vittatum
Major pests of cucurbits that damage plants by feeding and transmitting bacterial wilt disease. Two main species: striped and spotted cucumber beetles.
Striped: 1/4 inch, yellow with 3 black stripes. Spotted: 1/4 inch, greenish-yellow with 12 black spots. Larvae are white grubs in soil.
Holes in leaves, flowers, and fruit. Scarred fruit. Wilting from bacterial wilt transmission. Stunted seedlings. Root damage from larvae.
1-3 generations per year. Adults overwinter in debris, emerge in spring. Eggs laid in soil near plants. Larvae feed on roots for 2-6 weeks.
Delay planting until beetle populations decline. Use transplants instead of direct seeding. Trap crops. Remove plant debris. Rotate crops.