Striped Cucumber Beetle

Two species of "cucumber beetles" [striped cucumber beetle, and spotted cucumber beetle] feed on cucurbits. Two additional species [northern corn rootworm, and western corn rootworm] invade late in the season. Within this complex, the striped cucumber beetle is present in the highest density and over the longest time span. Adult feeding during early plant growth can cause stand reduction and rind-feeding by adults or larvae later in the season renders crops unmarketable and may serve as routes of entry for pathogens. Larval feeding also impacts root development and has been correlated with fusarium wilt. More importantly, the striped cucumber beetle vectors bacterial and viral pathogens. The major pathogen is Erwinia tracheiphila, the causal agent of bacterial wilt. Disease management currently relies on vector management. Even a low beetle density during colonization of young plants can result in significant plant disease and the severity of disease over time correlates to beetle density during early plant growth. Disease development is strongly influenced by inoculum dose. Cultural methods can manage the problem in machine-harvested, short-season processing pickles that have high plant populations, but the vector/disease complex presents very difficult risks for long-season, fresh-market vine crops that are grown at much lower plant populations. Bacterial wilt is most severe on melons and cucumbers. It was rare to see bacterial wilt in squash and pumpkins in the past, but recently this disease seems to be infesting some squash and pumpkin plantings.

For more information, please see this Penn State Fact Sheet.

Penn State Horticulutre Department

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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