One of the off-putting things about the appearance of these insect bugs is their large brown head that has a humanoid appearance. Their body has shiny orange and black bands with 3 large legs on either side. Potato bugs are wingless creatures and get around on their 6 spider-like legs.
Some sources claimed potato bugs cause lots of confusion both among avid gardeners and pest management professionals. They refer to two pests, Colorado beetle and Jerusalem cricket which possess their distinct features. Your gardening circles might have mentioned those potato pests. If you want to know them better, just keep scrolling.
We should find out. potato bugs are large and can be 2-3 inches in length . They also have amber yellow heads, legs, and thoraxes with black-brown rinds on the abdomen. Colorado Potato Beetles (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) belong to the nightshade or Solanaceae family and are endemic to the United States except for Alaska, California, Hawaii, and Nevada.
What potato bugs eat?
Potato bugs feed on dead roots , decaying plant matter, and other organic material. Despite their name, potato bugs don’t give any preference to gorging on potatoes.
Colorado Potato Beetle One of the most common potato plant pests is the Colorado potato beetle. This pest does damage in both the larval and adult forms; they’re general defoliators who chew through a plant’s leaves in no time.
The diet of Jerusalem cricket includes other insects, roots of vegetable crops, and of course their favorite potato tubers in the potato field. On the other hand, Colorado potato beetles don’t just harm potato crops but other vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants from the Nightshade family.
What does a potato bug bite feel like?
If you are unfortunate enough to suffer a potato bug bite, the first sign will probably be a sharp stinging sensation. Most people say that the pain from a bite lasts a few minutes. What does a Jerusalem cricket bite look like?
So, do you have insects crawling on your potatoes?
An answer is that if you ever grew potatoes, then you must have seen the infestation of small, extraterrestrial insects, crawling on the surface of leaves and near the roots . They can be quite a mess for your potato plants.
What are the black and yellow stripes on my Potatoes?
The common black and yellow-striped ” potato bug “, a very familiar insect, is the most serious pest of potatoes. Both the adult, or beetle, and the black-spotted, red larva feed on potato leaves. Their damage can greatly reduce yield and even kill plants. Colorado potato beetle has alternating black and white stripes on its wing covers.