Colorado Beetles

[Dr Nick]

Hi Everybody!

I'm sure anyone who has or has visited a dacha will have seen the stripy beetles munching away on the potato plants.

Its a shame they do so much damage despite folks' hard work planting the spuds in the first place.

I was wondering, what predators does this pest have?

Chickens like to eat bugs, what if you let them loose in the potato patch, would they eat the bugs before the they started eating the potato plants ;-)

Any sensible comments gratefully received.

Cheers

[AkMike]

Chickens is what my grandmothers used in Michigan when I was a kid. I've heard that spraying them with a dilute solution of powdered laundry soap also works also. I know it works well for slugs also.

[tmaskus]

My grandparents in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan used a mixed solution of Copper Sulphate and possibly other chemicals. It was sprayed on the plants and was quite effective, although I would question how safe it was to have in the enviroment.

I recall a story about one of my uncles' attempt at finding a better way to kill the bugs. He sent for an inexpensive "Guaranteed Potato Bug Killer" that was advertised in a magazine. When he received the package, it consisted of a block of wood and a wooden hammer. I'm sure it was very effective, AND environmentally friendly.