Question

spider like  

stickbug like   I have several of these plants and one of them is being attached by what I thought was a squash bug.  Not sure now if I am right.  I have attached pictures.  They are white and there are a good many on the plant.  
There are many leaves that have turned black and there is white stuff on many areas.  What are these....will they kill my plant....and what can I use to kill them????

I am afraid they will travel to the surrounding plants if something is not done immediately.  Thank you in advance.

Answer
Mary:
These insects strongly resemble woolly aphids. A close second choice for the ID is mealy bugs. These insects make their living by sucking plant juices rather than chewing holes out of the leaves.  The black stuff sounds like sooty mold, a fungus that grows on insect "poop".  The presence of this insect is the cause of the sooty mold.
Consider looking at Malathion as an insecticide.  Consult your local garden center or nursery for the particulars on using this chemical and other that they may recommend.  Be sure to read and follow the label directions on the bottle. (The garden center can also confirm my tentative ID on this critter). Just carry a few twigs with the insect on them to your garden center for them to look at. Slip a few of these twigs in a ziploc sandwich bag.

Regards
Steve