[Zeedman]

Jaysan, I've heard about the second SVB hatch from others in the warmer latitudes. It must take considerable timing to protect squash. I remember reading (wish I had bookmarked it!) that the SVB hatch was triggered by heat units, and could be predicted within a margin of error based upon local weather observations. Not sure if that would apply to the second hatch, but what a tool it would be if you could anticipate the moths before they appeared. I count my lucky stars that I only have one hatch to deal with.

BigVanVader, your hinged cover sounds interesting, but I'm having trouble visualizing it. Any chance of a photo?

Durgan, you've reminded me of something I forgot to post above, re: cucumber beetles. It has been my observation that heavy fertilization of squash plants seems to increase the numbers of beetles, and stimulates the "swarming" behavior. Cucumber beetles find their food plants by smell... it is my suspicion that the rapid growth caused by fertilization gives off a stronger scent, and attracts the beetles in greater numbers. Since I stopped fertilizing, I get fewer squash, but I also get cucumber beetles in smaller, more controllable numbers.

One more observation about cucumber beetles - and their relationship with squash bugs. Plants already under attack by something else will be especially attractive to the beetles, probably due to the squash plant's defensive production of increased amounts of cucurbitacin. Early attacks by adult squash bugs on young Tromboncino plants will cause this phenomenon... so if I see a swarm of CB on a particular plant, I search underneath, and nearly always find a squash bug or two feeding. Checking the plants without swarms, I seldom find a squash bug. So the silver lining of the swarming cucumber beetles is that they "flag" the first adult squash bugs for easy extermination, while their eggs are few & easily located. With the squash bugs gone (and the swarm of beetles destroyed), the plant returns to good health, and is less attractive to the beetles.

Edit: Jaysan, I might have an idea that would work for your SWCs. To make a sealed cover over your container, place landscape cloth under the container (going out as far as you want the cover to reach) then roll the edges of the landscape cloth & row cover together. You could use clothes pins or bricks to keep the edge sealed, which would allow opening for hand pollination.