Colorado potato beetle
Caused by: Leptinotarsa decemlineataProblem Category: Insect
Symptoms: Feeding damage to foliage; if infestation is severe or if left untreated plants can be completely defoliated; adult insect is a black and yellow striped beetle; larvae are bright red with black heads when they first hatch and change color to pink; larvae have two rows of black spots.
Comments: Adult beetles emerge in spring; female beetles lay eggs in batches of up to two dozen; eggs are orange-yellow and are laid on undersides of leaves; a female can lay 500 or more eggs over a four to five week period.
Management: Control of Colorado potato beetle can be challenging as they have developed high levels of resistance; adults and larvae should be hand picked from plants and destroyed in soapy water.
Control: Spary the chiili garlic extract or 5% Neem seed kernal extract