Cucumber Beetles

• The spotted-and-striped cucumber beetles are the most-often encountered pest in the gourd family. Despite their nickname, these beetles attack squashes, pumpkins, melons and even nongourd vegetables, such as beans, peas and corn. The adults overwinter in the soil, emerging in the spring when gourds begin sprouting. Mating begins right away with eggs being laid within one to three weeks. Cucumber beetles attack leaves as well as the sprouting seeds under the soil. Bacterial wilt is the most common result, drying leaves before destroying the plant. Mosaic virus is another byproduct of this pest's damage.
  
  

Corn Rootworms

• A relative of the cucumber beetle in the Luperini family, corn rootworms are pest for gourds. Although these beetles usually infesting corn crops, they seek any nearby gourds to attack. Unlike the cucumber beetle, they concentrate on the gourd plant's leaves, not the seeds. When corn plants ripen in late summer, adult rootworms seek other food sources. If they find gourds, squashes or pumpkins nearby, they attack causing damage to winter food crops such as the winter squashes.
  
  

Dried Gourd Problems

• Even when dried out with no nutritional value, some beetles still target gourds. The powder-post beetle is commonly known for boring into wood posts and even the wood structure of homes. The larvae of these beetles seek a haven in any available object. However, the larvae need moisture to exist, so using a desiccant on infected gourds prevents damage.
  
  

What Attracts Beetles to Gourds?

• The weapon gourds biologically create for protection against insect infestations is the very thing that attracts beetles. This natural pesticide (cucurbitacin) is not only ineffective against rootworms and cucumber beetles, it is irresistible to these pests. This ingredient is often used as bait in many vector control programs targeting beetles.