Organic Colorado Potato Beetle Control

Learn how to protect potatoes from pests with these organic Colorado Potato Beetle control methods. Learn how to attract beneficial insects to your garden by using utilizing crop rotation and floating row covers.

By Barbara Pleasant
Updated on November 6, 2022
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by AdobeStock/nechaevkon

Learn how to protect potatoes from pests with these organic Colorado Potato Beetle control methods. Learn how to attract beneficial insects to your garden by using utilizing crop rotation and floating row covers.

This article is part of our Organic Pest Control Series, which includes articles on attracting beneficial insects, controlling specific garden pests, and using organic pesticides.

Colorado Potato Beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata)

The most common problem encountered when growing potatoes, Colorado potato beetle adults and larvae feed on the leaves and blossoms of potatoes, and may also be seen on eggplant, tomatoes or peppers. Badly hit plants produce poorly because so many leaves are consumed. Organic controls for Colorado potato beetles include crop rotation, mulching with straw, handpicking and maintaining good insect balance in the garden so that a wide variety of natural predators are present. Plastic-lined trenches can capture potato beetles before they find plants. Many populations of Colorado potato beetles are resistant to most pesticides, so organic methods should always be used when growing potatoes.

What Is the Colorado Potato Beetle?

Native to the American Southwest, Colorado potato beetles are now found wherever potatoes are grown. Emerging in mid to late spring, just as potatoes begin growing vigorously, Colorado potato beetle adults are striking yellow-and-black striped beetles with black dots on their orange heads. Adults are often seen lurking in potato foliage, looking for mates. Much more visible are the reddish, soft-bodied larvae that appear a few weeks later, often clustered near the tips of growing branches. As they grow, the larvae develop a row of black dots down each side. When feeding on eggplant, the larvae may be gray in color rather than red.

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