Insect and Bug Guide: Colorado Potato Beetle

COLORADO POTATO BEETLE: attacks Irish potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers.

The round, convex shape and black and tan stripes of the adult Colorado potato beetle give it a distinctive appearance. Their hard shell covers their wings. Their head has several irregular black spots. The larvae, which are reddish-orange with black markings, are also distinctive. Potato beetles over winter as adults. They emerge in the spring and begin eating and reproducing up to three generations each year.

Both the adults and larvae feed on the leaves, and heavy infestations can cause severe defoliation, especially to their favorite host, Irish potatoes. The clusters of oblong, yellow eggs are attached to the leaves. If you live in the extreme South, they may not be a problem for your garden. Thankfully there are a lot of options to control them and interrupt their life cycle for continuing in your crops.

Biological Controls

• Beneficial insects that attack potato beetles include: assassin bugs, praying mantis, parasitic wasps, ground beetles, tachinid flies, lacewings, spiders, ladybugs and damsel bugs.

  
  

• Hb beneficial nematodes. Over the developmental cycle Colorado Potato Beetle larvae grow larger and closer to dark red in color with black spots on the sides of their body. Larvae drop to the ground and pupate there. After being applied to the soil, the nematodes locate larvae and enter through various body openings or directly through the body wall. Once inside, the nematodes produce bacteria that is injected into the larvae's blood, it dies and becomes a food source for the nematode. Spraying beneficial nematodes and covering 70%-100% of all leaves, stems and flowers of the crop will assist with larvae and eggs that are on the leaves. Hb beneficial nematodes will not attack the adult potato beetle, only the larvae and eggs.

Mechanical Controls

• You guessed it! Hand pick and squish any larvae or beetles found on leaves as frequently as possible.

  
  

• Cover plants with a floating row cover.

Cultural Controls

• Amend soil with well-decomposed compost as well as plenty of organic matter to keep soil microbial life (the beneficial bacteria, fungi, Protozoa, nematodes and earth worms etc) well-fed and healthy.

  
  

• Plant a crop that matures in less than 90 days

  
  

• Plant resistant varieties.

Say goodbye to Colorado Potato Beetles and hello to healthy plants with these tips!

Happy Gardening!

Hand picking