Tater Beetle Pests, Under Control!

Say hello to Mr. Potato Beetle larva - "Hello Mr. Potato Beetle Larva"!



I've not kept exact count but am guessing that I've squashed well over 200+ of these pests! Emilie and I have been going out after it cools off and the sun moves away from the potato bed to hunt these dudes. We've caught a bunch of the adult beetles too. I'm hoping that our persistence will pay off on keeping these destructive pests from doing too much damage to this years potatoes but also help to reduce the numbers that might otherwise settle in for the long haul if not keep in check.

Our work is paying off as there isn't much damage (defoliated) to speak of. The plants themselves look fantastic. Nice and tall; chest high some, and are nice, thick and deep green. Hopefully we'll be rewarded with a bumper crop of taters this fall!!

Lema daturaphila

Lema daturaphila - Three-Lined Potato Beetle

Here are some pictures I took recently of the 3-lined potato beetle. These little fellers happen to be residing on my dads eggplants. We have them in our yard too only residing on the potato plants we have growing. Not only do they prefer eggplant and potato plants but also tomato plants and can be pretty destructive.

In the picture below you can see the damage they do and it doesn't take long. They were just starting to dine on the eggplant below -

They lay their eggs on the underside of leaves in clusters. The larva hatch and immediately begin feeding and causing damage.

The larva of these beetles protect themselves by carrying it's own chemically noxious feces, or poop for the lay person and frass for the entomological gifted person, on it's back. Just like the Red Lilly Leaf beetle and many others in the insect world - yuk!

To read more on this behavior click "Getting the Poop on Beetle Defense".

Here is one method to organically control the beetle's and is something that my dad taught us as yutes. Although we used this method for Japanese Beetle it will work with most beetles. Here's how to do it:

1. Fill a jar with soapy water.
2. Hold the jar under any beetles that you see.
3. If you bring your hand close to a beetle, it will have a natural flight response of dropping to the ground--or in this case, into your jar.
4. Once they fall into the soapy water, they lose the ability to fly and quickly sink to the bottom; in 5-10 minutes, you can rid yourself of dozens of these pests.
5. Then feed to the chickens (if you have any) they love em!

The other method, which I use in a "pinch" is to catch them by hand and pinch their heads offs. It's messy but just as effective as method one above.