The Colorado Potato Beetle (also known as Colorado beetle) is a species of arthropods that are considered as pests throughout their range. They are mostly found active, infesting thousands of acres of crop fields, especially potatoes, which is their preferred host plant. Several measures have been taken to prevent these creatures from this act of destruction; however, treatment of these arthropods in home gardens can be more challenging.
Table of Contents
Scientific Classification
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Chrysomelidae
Leptinotarsa
L. decemlineata
Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Table Of Content
Table of Contents
Scientific Classification
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Chrysomelidae
Leptinotarsa
L. decemlineata
Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Table of Contents
These beetles are known for also causing significant damage to eggplants and tomatoes. Colorado beetle is the member of beetle genus Leptinotarsa, with over 50 species throughout Mexico, South and North America.
Physical Description
Size: The total length of the body (head to the tip of the abdomen) is approximately 10 millimeters (0.39 in), and around 3 millimeters (0.12 in) in width.
Weight: They can weigh anything between 50 and 170 mg.
Body: The shape is rounded, with yellowish-orange coloration on the exoskeleton (cover) with black longitudinal stripes on the wings, and a few black spots behind the head, from where, two dark brown antennae, with uneven tips, protrude out.
Feet: Three pairs of feet with yellowish tinge at the top and black to dark brown at the tips.
Sexual Dimorphism: Not present.
Colorado potato beetle
Common names
The beetle is also known by some of its common names like
The ten striped spearman
The ten lined potato beetle
The potato bug
Diabrotica virgefera
History
It was in the year 1824 that the beetle was first described by Thomas Say, while he was reviewing illustrations that were composed in the Rocky Mountains. By 1840 the species became known for attacking the cultivated potato plant and gradually became the significant pest of potato crops, having now developed the ability to withstand all types of pesticides.
Colorado Potato Beetle
Lifespan/Longevity
In the wild, the typical lifespan of these insects is between 2 and 12 months.
Distribution/Range & Habitat: Where do Colorado Potato Beetles Live
Colorado potato beetles live in the temperate and terrestrial suburban agricultural fields, grasslands, gardens. Native to a small region in western North America, they have spread very quickly in the potato crops across the other parts of America, Europe, and Asia, totaling an area of over 16 million sq. km.
Behavior
The primary means of their communication and perception are smell and vision. They select and find out their nearby host plants through the chemical signals emitted by the latter. The creatures also retain their sexual communication by means of these signals.
Studies show that the adult potato beetles can sense the wavelengths between yellow and ultraviolet, as also polarized lights. When an individual male is done with selecting its host, it emits its ‘aggregation pheromone’, with which both the males and the females (and even the nearby larvae) get attracted to in the same location.
Before mating, the females secrete a sex pheromone in order to attract the males.
Additional facts about their behavior:
They become active in the spring, at about same time when the potatoes emerge.
Colorado beetles don’t bite.
During winter months they live underground digging several inches and comes out in the spring.
Colorado beetles can fly long distances.
Colorado potato beetle Eggs
Colorado potato beetle Larvae
Colorado potato beetle Image
Diet: What Do Colorado Potato Beetles Eat
As their name suggests, the preferred and primary host of the Colorado potato beetle is the potato plant; however, they may also feast upon a number of other plants as well, including crop plants like tomato, tobacco, eggplant, and pepper.
Colorado Potato Beetle Pictures
Colorado Potato Beetle Images
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The Colorado potato beetle has a polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system. They choose multiple partners when the breeding season checks in. After the winter months, they become active usually around the springtime in May, and begin mating and infesting the crop fields and gardens. The adult beetles feed for a very short period of time before mating.
The female Colorado potato beetle lays the eggs on the undersurface of the leaves of their host plant so as to protect them from direct sunlight. They deposit over 300 eggs within a span of four to five weeks.
Depending upon the temperature and latitude, the eggs hatch in about 4 to 10 days, from which the larvae are born, with their four instars lasting for around 21 days. These insects would feed on the leaves of the host plant, almost continuously, only stopping during molting.
Before pupating, the larva drops into the soil from the plants and make a spherical cell while metamorphosing into a yellowish pupa. This stage lasts for about 5 to 10 days. The arthropods have 1 to 3 generations every year.
Colorado Potato Beetle Eggs
Colorado Potato Beetle Larvae
Adaptations
Their body color is almost the same as the potato skin, thus keeping them camouflaged in between piles of crops.
Predators
Several species of spiders, larger beetles and bugs have been known to eat these creatures.
Picture of Colorado Potato Beetle
Colorado Potato Beetle Damage
Conservation status
IUCN has enlisted this species in the least concern category.
Interesting Facts
Most pesticides for controlling the Colorado potato beetles proved to be ineffective because of their resistance against these chemicals.
The Colorado potato beetle entered Europe for the first time in 1859.
The Colorado potato beetle is sometime confused with a similar species, the false potato beetle.
Beetles don’t spread diseases or contaminate food.
Colorado potato beetle appeared on stamps issued in Berlin, the United Arab Emirates and Mozambique.
