Potato Beetles

Published by Derek under Pictures, Personal on June 14, 2008

The picture above is the colorado potato beetle… and I hate them. I don’t really hate them, but managing an entire field of potatoes that is infested with potato beetles can be overwhelming.

We have two varieties on our farm. One variety attacks the husk cherry tomatoes (triple striped) while the bigger version attacks the potatoes. And let me tell you, attack they do!

More often than not, you will see them in this picture’s presented position (I love alliterations). Luckily they are easy to catch because when you touch them they play dead, so all you need is a jar and a lot of sunscreen.

The eggs are bit harder to find only due to the fact they are on the underside of the leaves, so you need to lift up every leaf. Luckily though the eggs start off bright yellow and are in large clusters, and when you crush them, they pop kind of like caviar.

My least favorite part are the larvae. They turn brown and are harder to see. When you see larva you not only see one you see many… and they are all over the plant so your patience is key.

I felt bad being a potato beetle killer, but for now it is my only option. I am currently growing potatoes in a barrel with bush beans as companion plants to prevent any kind of infestation. I’ll let you all know how it works out… Oh, did I mention when you squish a beetle the insides are bright orange?

Peace and Love