Colorado Potato Beetle

The Colorado Potato Beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is not a type of food, but rather a common pest of potatoes and other plants in the nightshade family (such as tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers). The beetle is native to Mexico and the southwestern United States, but has spread to many parts of the world where potatoes are grown.

The Colorado Potato Beetle is easily identified by its bright yellow-orange body and ten black stripes down its back. Adult beetles are about 1/3 to 1/2 inch long and have a rounded, domed shape. Larvae are red, humpbacked, and have black heads.

The beetles feed on the leaves of potatoes and other nightshade plants, causing significant damage. A single beetle can consume large amounts of leaf material, and females can lay up to 800 eggs in their lifetime. If left uncontrolled, the beetles can quickly multiply and destroy whole crops.

To control Colorado Potato Beetles, several methods can be used. These include:

In summary, the Colorado Potato Beetle is a major pest of potatoes and other nightshade plants, but can be effectively controlled using a combination of methods. Preventative measures such as crop rotation and debris removal can help reduce the number of beetles, while hand-picking, biological control, and chemical control can be used to manage established populations.