Cukes! What is THIS on my CUKES??

Question

1) There were TWO of these on this afternoon. Not there yesterday, BUT they SEEM HALLOW AND DEAD! ???? 
 2) How long should Cuke season last? Took 2 off the other day (Small but these are pretty good, even small. 
 3) at ONE point, Cukes were growing REALLY WELL. Now they have ONE vine left growing a few leaves and LOOKS like they might grow new vines and leaves, though I don't really know.

Jim Ginas · Answer

I CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR! I will grow Cukes from one whole side by themselves an also on trellises. Tomatoes will get there own area plenty big for them also! NOW, just have to figure out Zucchini!

Lgsmith · Answer

Cicada's ecto- skeleton(outer shell) of the insect.They burrow up from the ground and the shell splits and the insect emerges. Afterwards it usually flies away.

Cicadas are members of the order Homoptera and are physically distinguished by their stout bodies, broad heads, clear-membrane wings, and large compound eyes.
The insect's amazing lifestyle has been a source of fascination since ancient times. Several cultures, such as the ancient Chinese, regarded these insects as powerful symbols of rebirth.

Luis · Answer

Jim they look like a dried Cicada shells

Jim Ginas · Answer

Lgsmith & Luis: ok, that makes sense. I've seen these a couple times this summer, one on my grandson's playset and once in the garden before. **** DO these do harm to the plants

Maggie C · Answer

cicadas should not harm your garden plants. It just climbed up there to get out of the exoskeleton and after that it dried off and flew away.

Carole · Answer

I agree with Rhonda Brady and Maggie C- cicadas. I have found a couple of these 'shells' in the garden a few years back. The shell is part of their natural life cycle.

Luis · Answer

No Jim they will not harm your plants, but here are some interesting information that I found on the Cicadas and maybe next time you can have a salad with cukes and cicadas LOL
Many people around the world regularly eat cicadas. They are known to have been eaten in Ancient Greece as well as China, Malaysia, Burma, Latin America, and the Congo.[6] Female cicadas are prized for being meatier.[6] Shells of cicadas are employed in the traditional medicines of China.

Luis · Answer

Me neither Jim I don't eat any kind of bugs, yuck, although they probably have non of the hormones they put in our meats these days.

Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com · Answer

Yea, Jim that is a Cicada. More localized in some parts of the country then others. Here is a photo what we see at the bottom of trees around us when they come out every 7 years. Other then a noisy few weeks. They do nothing other then to put millions of 1/4 inch size holes in the soil.

Jim Ginas · Answer

Holy Crap! I've obviously heard of Cicada's and you hear them at night, but never have knew what they looked like till this week.

Luis · Answer

Jim they also use the cochineal in some of the Snapple drinks that is why no Snapple for me

Jim Ginas · Answer

and NOW with the kids being so disgusting at Fast Food places..... you just don't know!

Catherine Smith · Answer

Your problem is probably cucumber beetles, Jim. You can try some insecticidal soap around and under the plants and in the soil, but their tough to kill off.

Sarah · Answer

We used to collect these exoskeletons when we were kids and compete to see how many each of us could find in one evening while climbing in the weeping willow trees on our block. They were so cool!

Cukes! What is THIS on my CUKES??

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