HOT Topics!! Colorado Potato Beetle

The Colorado Potato Beetle has been quite the pest this year.  The Colorado Potato Beetle or Potato Bug is a dull yellow with black stripes down its wings.  The females are laying eggs which are masses of orange, football-shaped on the underside of leaves which will hatch in 4 to 9 days.  The larvae will hatch and feed on potato leaves for 2 to 3 weeks.  The larvae will drop to the soil and pupate for 5 to 10 days when it will emerge as an adult starting the cycle all over again.  


It appears that the Colorado Potato Beetle has become somewhat resistant to our traditional methods like Sevin.  A newer insecticide, spinosad seems to be an effective control.  It is sold as Captain Jack's Dead Bug Brew, Greenlight Lawn and Garden Spray with spinosad.  There may be other brand names as well.  You want to apply the product according to the label directions.  The eggs and larvae are the stage where they are more susceptible to insecticides.  Spinosad does break down fairly quickly so it should be reapplied every 5 days for effective control.  


You might also consider manual removal although time consuming, it is effective.  Go through your potatoes every 2 days and drop the adult and larval potato bugs into a jar of soapy water.  Squish the eggs.  


The Colorado Potato Beetle also may feast on your tomato, pepper, and eggplant so keep an eye on these plants as well.  Good luck in controlling this pest!