Colorado Potato Beetle
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Colorado Potato Beetle
Leptinotarsa decemlineata
The Colorado Potato Beetle is a little beetle that loves to eat potato plants. Farmers watch out for these hungry critters!
Habitat: Potato fields and gardens
Appearance
The Colorado Potato Beetle is an oval-shaped insect, easily recognized by its bright yellow-orange body adorned with ten prominent black stripes running down its wing covers. Its head is orange with black spots, making it stand out from green leaves.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderColeopteraFamilyChrysomelidaeGenusLeptinotarsa
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
A single female beetle can lay over 500 tiny orange-yellow eggs in her short lifetime!
Its plump, reddish larva looks like a tiny slug with two rows of black spots down its back!
These striped beetles can overwinter by burying themselves up to 20 cm deep in the soil!
They were first described in Nebraska, not Colorado, causing a bit of a name mix-up!
Special abilities
Ability
Toxic Defense
Colorado Potato Beetle can produce bitter-tasting chemicals because of specialized glands that make them unappetizing to predators.
Ability
Super Sprinter
Colorado Potato Beetle can rapidly develop resistance to pesticides, which helps them survive control efforts.
Ability
Flight Power
Colorado Potato Beetle can fly between fields and gardens, helping them find new food sources and spread to new areas.
Ability
Egg-laying Machine
Colorado Potato Beetle has a high reproductive rate, allowing females to lay hundreds of eggs that hatch quickly.
Measurements & details
- Wingspan
- 15-25 mm
- Size
- 6-11 mm
- Lifespan
- 40-50 days
- Flight Speed
- 15 km/h
- Leg Count
- 6
Diet & Feeding
These striped beetles are herbivorous, munching on leaves and stems of specific plants.
Primary Foods
- Potato leaves
- Tomato leaves
- Eggplant leaves
- Nightshade plants
Foraging Method
- Foraging
Ecological connections
eats
Potato
Solanum tuberosum
Beetles and larvae feed on the plant's foliage.
eats
Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
This beetle is also a significant pest of tomato plants.
eaten by
Two-spotted Stink Bug
Perillus bioculatus
This predatory stink bug preys on Colorado Potato Beetle larvae.
eaten by
Spotted Lady Beetle
Coleomegilla maculata
Lady beetle larvae and adults consume the beetle's eggs.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Striped
Marked with parallel bands or lines of color.
Grassland
Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Nocturnal
Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.
Pollinator
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
Also known as
Potato BeetlePotato Bug
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Colorado Potato Beetle's wingspan?
15-25 mm
How big is Colorado Potato Beetle?
6-11 mm
How long does Colorado Potato Beetle live?
40-50 days
How fast can Colorado Potato Beetle fly?
15 km/h
What does Colorado Potato Beetle eat?
These striped beetles are herbivorous, munching on leaves and stems of specific plants.
Where is Colorado Potato Beetle usually found?
Potato fields and gardens
How does Colorado Potato Beetle hunt?
Foraging
How many legs does Colorado Potato Beetle have?
6
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