Yet another insect

Bruinwar · August 28, 2019

After searching for an answer & not finding it, I thought I would ask you folks.
Maybe a variety of Mexican bean beetle? The gardener says she found it munching on a eggplant fruit.

Gardadore · August 28, 2019

Offspring of the Colorado Potato beetle. Love eggplants! I smoosh then or you can scrape them into a cup and dispose. Very destructive so check daily.

brownrexx · August 28, 2019

Yes, Colorado Potato Beetle larva. Interestingly they are the gray/purple color when on eggplant and orange when on potato plants.

No need to spray, just hand pick and squish them and look for eggs under the leaves and squish them too.

Labradors2 · August 28, 2019

Ha! My first instinct was to say Colorado Beetle, then I realized that it is the wrong colour! Thanks Brownrexx for explaining. Mine seem to prefer potatoes and are orange. BTW the eggs are bright orange too - at least on the underside of potato leaves.

Linda

GoDawgs · August 28, 2019

A good site about the CPB. Down near the bottom they talk about creating a plastic lined trench along the potato rows to trap the critters. I read about that somewhere last year and I think I'll try it this coming spring. They overwinter in the ground and when they emerge they slowly head for the potato plants, fall in the trench and can't get out.

http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/vegento...potato-beetle/

Bruinwar · August 28, 2019

Thanks everyone for all your help.

Trapping them in a plastic lined trench sounds interesting.

August 28, 2019	#2
Gardadore Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Saylorsburg, PA Posts: 261	Offspring of the Colorado Potato beetle. Love eggplants! I smoosh then or you can scrape them into a cup and dispose. Very destructive so check daily.

August 28, 2019	#3
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	Yes, Colorado Potato Beetle larva. Interestingly they are the gray/purple color when on eggplant and orange when on potato plants. No need to spray, just hand pick and squish them and look for eggs under the leaves and squish them too.

August 28, 2019	#4
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,895	Ha! My first instinct was to say Colorado Beetle, then I realized that it is the wrong colour! Thanks Brownrexx for explaining. Mine seem to prefer potatoes and are orange. BTW the eggs are bright orange too - at least on the underside of potato leaves. Linda

August 28, 2019	#5
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	A good site about the CPB. Down near the bottom they talk about creating a plastic lined trench along the potato rows to trap the critters. I read about that somewhere last year and I think I'll try it this coming spring. They overwinter in the ground and when they emerge they slowly head for the potato plants, fall in the trench and can't get out. http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/vegento...potato-beetle/

August 28, 2019	#6
Bruinwar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Ann Arbor Michigan Posts: 93	Thanks everyone for all your help. Trapping them in a plastic lined trench sounds interesting.