Colorado Potato Beetle
Leptinotarsadecimlineata
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Regional
This bug has been reportedly found in the following regions:
Brownsboro, Alabama
Aurora, Illinois
Tuscola, Illinois
Laurel, Indiana
Rising Sun, Indiana
Letts, Iowa
Ewing, Kentucky
Morehead, Kentucky
Paris, Kentucky
South China, Maine
White Pigeon, Michigan
Cohasset, Minnesota
Winchester, New Hampshire
Trenton, New Jersey
Saluda, North Carolina
Novelty, Ohio
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Hummelstown, Pennsylvania
Columbia, Tennessee
Pocahontas, Tennessee
San Marcos, Texas
Wichita Falls, Texas
Yakima, Washington
Greenwood, Wisconsin
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Gardener's Notes:
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C
Chillybean
(Zone 5a) |
June 2015 |
Positive
This insect is native to North America. The beetles' discovery of our cultivated potatoes caused their population to explode dramatically beyond their native range in the Southwest.
They historically ate the Buffalo Bur (Solanum rostratum) which also is native to the states and is also a part of the same family of plants as the potatoes. The Buffalo Bur is not desirable to many as it has thorns and is poisonous to grazing animals. Attempts at eradication have removed a food source for the Potato Beetle.
The Colorado Potato Beetle seems to easily become resistant to the pesticides that we throw at it. This amazes me as so many things cannot adapt so well to our "stewardship". Because we rotate potatoes yearly, we have not yet seen a problem with this in... read more
They historically ate the Buffalo Bur (Solanum rostratum) which also is native to the states and is also a part of the same family of plants as the potatoes. The Buffalo Bur is not desirable to many as it has thorns and is poisonous to grazing animals. Attempts at eradication have removed a food source for the Potato Beetle.
The Colorado Potato Beetle seems to easily become resistant to the pesticides that we throw at it. This amazes me as so many things cannot adapt so well to our "stewardship". Because we rotate potatoes yearly, we have not yet seen a problem with this in... read more
r
ratlover1
Rising Sun, IN |
June 2011 |
Negative
First year I've seen these guys. Hand picked them off my tomatoes, and squashed or scraped off all the eggs I could find. Apparently I missed a few clutches since last night I discovered a couple dozen larvae happily munching away. Hand picked them (yik!). I then sprayed w/ insecticidal soap. Don't know if that will help or not, hopefully I got them all anyway. Very destructive but if caught early enough plants seem to recover fine.
d
distlog
Paris, KY |
August 2010 |
Negative
I see this subject hasn't had any comments for some time but thought I would add my words anyway. We have an infestation of these things in central KY this year & they are bad. They have pretty much destroyed our potato vines & now have moved on to the tomato plants & tomatoes themselves. Yesterday I found them on some of the pepper plants. Rotenone & Seven won't touch them. I'm going to try the amonia that was suggested in the last post.