Colorado potato beetle

Colorado potato beetles are easily recognized by their oval, convex shape and bright yellow-orange coloration with ten distinct black stripes running lengthwise down their wing covers. Adults are typically about 3/8 inch long. The larvae are reddish-orange with black spots along their sides.

Look for chewed or skeletonized leaves on potato, tomato, eggplant, and pepper plants in your garden. You may also see the orange-yellow eggs laid in clusters on the undersides of leaves. Heavy infestations can completely defoliate plants, significantly reducing yields.

MBPC offers targeted treatments for Colorado potato beetle infestations in the Grand Strand area. Our licensed technicians use effective and environmentally conscious insecticides, following all SC Department of Pesticide Regulation guidelines. We can also advise on cultural practices to reduce future infestations.

Rotate crops annually to disrupt the beetle's life cycle. Regularly inspect your plants for eggs and larvae, removing them by hand if possible. Consider using row covers to protect susceptible plants, a helpful strategy in our coastal SC climate.

Colorado potato beetles thrive in gardens and agricultural fields throughout the Myrtle Beach area, especially where potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers are grown. They overwinter as adults in the soil and emerge in the spring to feed and reproduce, taking advantage of the long growing season in our humid subtropical climate.

Peak activity: Spring-Summer