| Production of cucurbit crops present growers with a number of challenges. Striped cucumber beetle Acalymma vittatum (F.) and squash bug Anasa tristis (DeGeer), are major direct pests and plant pathogen vectors. Insect pest management is critical due to the severe status of these pests and can include mechanical barriers, such as row covers, and chemical applications. Organic growers are therefore met with major challenges due to the short residual time, questionable efficacy, and expense of many approved chemicals. Conventional growers face controversies surrounding the use of chemical insecticides, in regard to pollinator safety. Applied, field based studies were conducted to understand the diversity of native pollinators available for use in these crops, natural history aspects of key pests, and practical solutions to protect cucurbit crops from pest damage while simultaneously conserving and protecting pollination services. Investigations have yielded new species records and distributional data for several species of bee pollinators, understandings of the relative value of different species of bee pollinators to cucurbit crops, and demonstration of the applicability or several new techniques that could be readily adapted by growers.;KEYWORDS: pollination, pest management, cucurbitaceae, sustainable agriculture, conservation. |
