Colorado potato beetle
Striped beetles and plump red-orange larvae that strip the leaves of potatoes, eggplant and tomatoes.
What you'll see
- Yellow beetles about 1/3 inch (8 mm) long with ten black stripes on their backs.
- Plump, humpbacked red to orange larvae with two rows of black spots, often feeding in groups.
- Clusters of orange eggs standing on end under the leaves, and leaves chewed down to the stems.
Why it happens
Adults spend the winter in the soil near last year's crop and come out in spring to lay eggs on potatoes, eggplant and their relatives. Larvae and adults both chew the leaves, and more generations can follow.
How to fix it
- Crush egg clusters and pick beetles and larvae into soapy water every few days, starting early in the season.
- Cover plants with floating row cover to keep the beetles off.
- For many young larvae, spray spinosad or a neem product, following the label, and keep kids and pets away until it dries.
Keep it from coming back
- Grow potatoes in a different spot each year, as far from last year's patch as you can.
- Mulch with straw, which slows the beetles and shelters their predators.
- Check leaf undersides for orange eggs as soon as shoots come up.
Sources
- University of Maryland Extension: Colorado potato beetle on vegetables
- Clemson HGIC: Eggplant insect pests and diseases
General guidance, not a diagnosis. For valuable, edible or outdoor crops, check with a local extension service or plant expert. Use any product exactly as its label says, and keep children and pets away while it dries.