Hand-picking squash bugs, egg masses and young nymphs from the plants are viable control alternatives for some. Similarly, borers can sometimes be successfully extracted from infested stems with a sharp knife. Other gardening activities that may help reduce future infestations include removing and destroying infested vines as soon as harvest is complete and thorough tilling of the garden soil. If the potential losses from these pests are intolerable, then limited and careful use of insecticides early in the season might be your preferred strategy. Sevin and rotenone insecticides are commonly used for this purpose.
Sprays provide a much better barrier against borer attack than do dusts.
Watch for squash bug nymphs and spray infested plants as soon as they appear. Use garden insecticides such as Sevin, permethrin or insecticidal soap according to label directions. Sprays are again more effective than dusts, and treatment of small nymphs is much more effective than later sprays against large nymphs. Avoid spraying plants in bloom. If spraying during bloom is necessary, spray at night after honey bees have quit foraging for the day.