As you might guess from the name, potato beetles like to eat crops (though their palette isn’t limited to potatoes). The adult and larvae forms chew leaves and can defoliate an entire crop if you don’t take care of the infestation. This might not just reduce your crop—it could even kill your plants!

This but is about 1/3″ long with a rounded body that is yellowish-orange with black stripes on their wings. They also have black spots just behind the head. The larvae are plump, growing to be 1/2″ long and are read with a black head and legs.

What Causes a Potato Beetle Infestation?

Like many pests, this beetle goes where there is food. Whether you garden for fun or work in the agriculture industry, your plants look great to them!

How Can You Get Rid of Potato Beetles?

Potato beetles are tough pests to deal with because they have developed resistance to many insecticides. There are a few methods for eradicating them:

• Plant resistant cultivars when possible.
• They hibernate in the soil during the winter so you can cover the ground with 2″ to 3″ of clean straw or hay as the plants emerge to prevent the bugs from following.
• In the early morning, shake adult beetles from the plants and drown them in soapy water.
• Protect plants with a row covering during the spring.
• Introduce other insects that eat the eggs and larvae, like ladybugs and spined soldier bugs
• Use diatomaceous earth, a mineral that dehydrates the bugs.

You can also call Shades of Green Lawn & Landscape. We know how to get your lawn to a healthy state where it can grow abundantly without the threat of pests. Call us today at 765-771-9998 for more information about our pest control services and for a free quote.

Need Help with Potato Beetles?

Call Shades of Green Lawn & Landscape today at 765-771-9998 and let's talk about how we can help you with Potato Beetles and other Indiana lawn pests.

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