Be on the lookout for Cucumber beetles in your garden.

Cucumber beetles damage cucurbit crops, such as cucumber, squash, pumpkin and melon.

There are two different varieties, striped and spotted. The spotted cucumber beetle is greenish-yellow and has twelve black spots on its back. The striped cucumber beetle is yellowish-orange and has three black stripes on its back.

Both pests are about 1/4 of an inch long and are winged, making it easy to fly from plant to plant.

Cucumber beetles eat the leaves, flowers, and fruit of the plants, causing significant damage. Their larvae feed on the roots.
They are also the carriers of cucumber bacterial wilt and cucumber mosaic. Which there is no cure for once the plant is infected.

There are multiple ways of controlling them in the garden:

Attract beneficial insects:
Natural predators include soldier beetles, tachinid flies, parasitic nematodes, and braconid wasps. These beneficial insects prey on cucumber beetles and can reduce their numbers.

Planting Repellent Plants:
Broccoli, calendula, nasturtiums, radish, rue, and tansy are among a few repelling plants to grow.

Floating Row Covers:
It can provide a bug-and beetle-free period, which allows the plants to thrive and develop. Row covers are removed at the onset of flowering to allow for bee pollination.

Use Organic Pesticides:
Insecticidal soap is the most common organic remedy for spraying cucumber beetles.