Colorado potato beetle

Colorado potato beetle

Photo by David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

  • Found throughout Europe, Asia and Central and North America
  • Attacks eggplant, capsicums, tomatoes and potato
  • Adult beetles are about 1 cm in length and larvae are bright red with a black head when young, changing to an orange colour before pupation
  • Both adults and larvae feed on leaves and stems, leaving sticky black excrement
  • Leaf defoliation is the most obvious symptom
  • Adults can fly up to 160 km but can also be spread with plant material or on farm machinery

High priority pest of: Potatoes

Scientific name: Leptinotarsa decemlineata
EPPRD Category: 3
Life Form: Beetles & weevils (COLEOPTERA)

Pest Documents

FS: fact sheet

CP: contingency plan

DP: diagnostic protocol