Tater Bugs

[simple life]

ooooh, I saw your silkies and it makes it even harder to wait for mine. I have some splash,red and buff silkies incubating this month and I can't wait to get my hands on those little fluffy butts!
I wanted to get some black,blue and white eggs but everyone seems to be selling them in packages with the same colors that I already have. I don't want to get more of the same colors.
They are the cutest little things though.

 

[fletamae]

I always pick them off and I carry a container with a lid, pop them in as you go. You should look on the under side of the leaves if you see a pretty orange cluster attached to the leaves pinch that part of the leaf off and pop it in the container with thier mom and pop. If you stroll threw the patch every day you can make a lot of difference in the dreaded potato bug.

 

[wannagrtgrdn]

this is our first year growing potatoes and finding ugly, slimy bugs! first we tried soapy water spray - it rained. now we have dusted all our plants with DE, diatomeaceous (sp?) earth, thinking if it kills mites but slicing them open on their soft underbellies, it might work on potato bugs. will try the picking, but we have sooo many plants i am looking for easier without chemicals.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

this is our first year growing potatoes and finding ugly, slimy bugs! first we tried soapy water spray - it rained. now we have dusted all our plants with DE, diatomeaceous (sp?) earth, thinking if it kills mites but slicing them open on their soft underbellies, it might work on potato bugs. will try the picking, but we have sooo many plants i am looking for easier without chemicals.

Hand-picking is the best method for control. Do be careful when dusting with DE as this can have a negative impact on beneficials. I would think that potato bugs would be mostly unaffected by them since they are not as soft bodied as other targeted insects.

I would recommend increasing the beneficial insect count in your garden, ladybugs are one of the biggest predators of potato bugs.

Good luck

 

[Beekissed]

I let the girls out of prison tonight, having deemed the garden big enough to survive them. They walked right past the legion of potato bugs and assorted larvae and dug up my mulch like crazy! Felt like force-feeding them a few beetles just for spite!!! un The one and only pest in my garden and they can't see fit to help me out? Spoiled rotten biddies!!! I bet if I lay out the ax and block they'll start on the bug buffet.....