Adult Colorado potato beetles are oval with hard convex yellowish-white wing covers marked with lengthwise black stripes. Adults are about ⅓ inch long. Larvae are humpbacked grubs reddish to salmon-colored with black heads and two rows of black spots along both sides of the body. Adults and grubs chew on the leaves of potato-family plants—potatoes,…
Colorado Potato Beetle
Colorado Potato Beetle Controls
The Colorado potato beetle attacks potatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes skeletonizing leaves and defoliating plants. Horticultural cloth draped over plants will exclude beetles from reaching plants to lay eggs and feed, diatomaceous earth will destroy larvae, and the botanical poisons pyrethrum and rotenone can kill heavy infestations of adult beetles. However, where Colorado potato beetles…
Natural Controls for Vegetable Pests
Vegetable garden insect pests are susceptible to many controls. Limit the damage of insects by identifying pests quickly and recognizing the damage they inflict. Regular visits to the garden will help you spot pests before they become established. Then choose the most effective control given the infestation. The quickest controls for light infestations are listed…
