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How to Get Rid of Potato Bugs in The House or Garden? 

 April 9, 2022

By  admin

Potato bugs are a small brownish-gray insect that is often found in the garden or indoors. They can be a nuisance if they enter your home.
These commonly seen pests, also known as potato beetles, don’t bite but rather feed on plant material (leaves and tubers) so there isn’t much harm done to humans by these feeding habits. However some people may find them annoying because of their appearance and tendency to fly into food or other areas where you would not want this type of bug near. Though many types of pesticides exist for controlling these insects once they’re spotted, it’s still important to know how eliminate them from your home before things get out of hand.,

Potato bugs are a type of insect that can be found in homes and gardens. They are most commonly found in the soil. They will often crawl into the house to find food, but can also enter through cracks or crevices in walls. Read more in detail here: where do potato bugs come from.

How to Get Rid of Potato Bugs in The House or Garden?

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Potato plants need WAY TOO MUCH EFFORT to let potato bugs to munch them away. 

As soon as you see those insects strolling on leaves, you’ll go into wrath mode. There’s nothing more to do except wait after you detect the bite marks. 

It’s time to figure out how to get rid of potato bugs once and for all. 

This may be a frightening situation. But it’s not difficult to do. It will be a pretty simple experience if you understand about potato bugs and how to get rid of them.

Find out how to do it in the video below!

Contents

What Are Potato Bugs and How Do I Get Rid of Them?

They’re known as potato bugs because they’re so prevalent in potato fields, but they’re really Colorado Beetles. Leptinotarsa decemlineata is their scientific name. 

These bugs are exceedingly unpleasant and persistent. In a season, a single juvenile beetle may consume up to 10 square inches of potato leaves. When you double it by a hundred, you may have a whole crop devoured. 

They may be EXTREMELY HARMFUL to your potato harvests, to say the least. Fortunately, as long as you can recognize and eliminate them fast, you won’t have to worry. 

What Does a Potato Bug Look Like?

Look for black stripes on a yellow-to-orange body to tell whether you’re dealing with potato bugs or another species. These black stripes are usually seen on the top of their bodies, near their wings. Adults may grow up to 0.3 inches in length. 

The larvae are reddish-brown in color and have black patches on their flanks. Their legs are often yellow or orange in color. These tiny creatures may be as little as 0.2 inches in length. 

On the other hand, their eggs are visible. They come in a variety of colors, including yellow, reddish, and orange. Over and beneath the leaves, the insects clump them together. 

When it comes to potato bugs, where do they come from?

Even before you sow the crops, the majority of potato bugs are most likely already in the garden. In fact, if you have tomato plants, pepper plants, or eggplant plants, potato bugs may be present. 

Even if they aren’t, once they scent the potato plants, they may come anyhow (their favorite food). Colorado bugs will emerge as soon as the weather warms up in the spring. In most cases, they crawl from the ground, although they may sometimes fly in from neighboring crops.

These bugs are from the United States of America (where the potato is also native). The potato arrived in Europe and Asia some 200 years ago, and with it came the potato bug (Colorado Beetle). Potato bugs, on the other hand, are now largely found in the warmer parts of the United States. 

When Do Potato Bugs Show Up?

In the winter, you won’t see any potato bugs. Instead, they’ll likely hibernate underground, where their bodies can withstand freezing temperatures.

When the final frost has passed and the temperatures have begun to climb, the bugs begin to emerge from their hiding places. Naturally, they seek food (usually your potato crops) as soon as this occurs.

They lay eggs as well as feed. Around 15 days later, when the larvae hatch and begin to feed on the crops, you may see even more bugs. The larvae drop off the leaves and bury themselves in the earth a few days later. In the next ten days, you may expect to see more grownups. 

You may see up to three generations of potato bugs develop and perish before October comes. 

How to Get Rid of Potatoes Bugs (Methods for Indoors & Outdoors)

Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty now that you have a better sense of how potato bugs appear and act. 

Here are the most effective ways to get rid of them:

1. Gather them

At first, handpicking those potato bugs may seem to be the simplest and most successful method. There is no denying it.

Not only will you be able to locate them EXACTLY, but you’ll also have the opportunity to eliminate their larvae and eggs. After you’ve collected all of the potato bugs, there won’t be any more.

Follow these guidelines:

  • Begin gathering the bugs in the early morning while they are dormant. It’s best to do it between April and May, when spring begins, so you can capture them before they lay their eggs. 
  • Look for bugs, larvae, and eggs on the undersides of the potato leaves. Then, by hand, clean them.
  • Surficially dig around the base of your potato plants (not more than 2 inches). This might lead to the discovery of certain hibernating beetles.
  • Place anything you discover in a jar (eggs, larvae, and adults). Allow them to perish in soapy water. 

You may also use a vacuum to remove all of the insects from your plant. Just make sure you kill them all so they don’t come back.

2. Apply Mulch to the Soil

If you cover the soil with mulch, the potato plants won’t mind. The insects, on the other hand, will.

Even though they’re skilled crawlers that can climb almost any plant, they have a hard time with mulch. With mulch beneath the potato plants, beetles are less likely to burrow themselves into the soil. 

Ladybugs and lacewings prefer to eat potato bugs, so this draws them as well. As a result, mulch will be a double win for you.

NOTE: While this strategy may not always work, it is an easy one to try. Furthermore, it stops the potatoes from growing too close to the sun (so they grow BIGGER).

3. Make use of pesticides

If handpicking the pests is too time consuming, insecticides might be used instead. These insecticides don’t have to be poisons that injure your potato plants (which potato pests get resistant to). Natural alternatives that are both safe and effective may be used instead. 

Here are a few to think about:

It’s made of a fossilized alga that resembles a rock. The “earth,” once powdered, is poisonous to a variety of insects, including potato bugs.

This powder works better on larvae than it does on adults. You can get rid of majority of them by simply sprinkling the powder on the leaves and portions of the soil where the larva hangs out.

The efficiency is such that the dead carcasses of the larvae may be found in as little as 12 hours. However, it may harm a variety of different insects (from bees to lacewings) as well as pets. 

Using neem oil directly on eggs is another approach to prevent them from hatching. You may wait a few days after the adults lay the eggs before pouring the oil over them.

Adults are also affected by the oil, which causes them to cease eating over time. This impact might take many days or weeks to manifest.

Neem oil will then stop potato bugs from reproducing and hatching their eggs at the same time. 

It’s also known as canola oil, and it contains a number of characteristics that are harmful to potato bugs. The oil begins to burn their bodies as soon as it comes into contact with them, forcing them to fall off the potato plants. The bugs may prevent them from eating in certain situations.

Use caution while using this oil. It may also burn your leaves, inflicting minor or major harm over time (especially in temperatures over 85 degrees Fahrenheit). 

It’s a chemical solution that’s safe for your potato bugs. It is a rather effective chemical that causes the bugs to drop practically quickly after application. 

This insecticide, like diatomaceous earth, is harmful to other insects, pets, and even people. So be cautious while using it. 

4. Make Your Own Pesticides

Even if potato bugs are difficult to work with, there are several less traditional but nonetheless effective solutions. Liquid manure, rock flour, coffee grinds, and mint broth are all examples of this. 

Because these DIY insecticides include substances that potato bugs despise, they will most likely flee your potato plants. 

  • Liquid Horseradish Manure

The Colorado Beetles will abandon the region once the liquid dung begins to ferment. It works better on the ground as manure, deterring buried beetles and inhibiting the hatching of larvae and eggs. In fact, it’s a fantastic strategy to keep potato bugs from producing eggs (if used before the spring).

You will, however, need to prepare the manure. To do so, place dried horseradish in a big container and pour in around 10 times the quantity of horseradish in water. Mix everything together and let it to ferment for approximately a week. 

You may apply the manure to the soil once every three days. The potato bugs should have left the region within a few weeks. 

It won’t kill the potato bugs or their larvae, but it may assist create an unpleasant atmosphere. Potatoes may benefit from rock flour as a mineral-enriching product. However, since it is mineral-rich, the potato bugs will most likely depart over time.

This one isn’t going to finish the job on its own. However, when combined with other techniques, it may help speed up the process. 

Most coffee grounds are quite acidic, which may be harmful to potato bugs’ health. As soon as they detect an increase in acidity, they will most likely abandon the region in search of less acidic and more pleasurable terrain.

It’s worth mentioning that coffee grinds may alter the soil’s acidity (reducing pH levels). If you’re planting potatoes in already acidic soil, coffee grinds should be avoided. 

The thuja tree is a tiny pine-like plant. It may be found in a variety of locations all over the globe. You can make a tea that repels several insects, including the potato bug, which is interesting.

Only a little bit of a thuja leaf has to be cut, soaked in water for a day or two, and then poured into a sprayer. Spray the affected portions of your potato plants with the spray. The potato bugs will go in a day or two. 

Few solutions are as simple but as successful as mint broth for people having peppermint and other extremely minty plants at home.

Only a few leaves from the mint plant are required. Then pour into a basin and bring to a boil. You’ll get a minty soup that repels insects after 30 minutes.

Wait for the soup to cool before pouring it into a sprayer. Spray the potato plants with the spray. Those potato bugs will eventually flee. To keep the potato bugs from returning, sprinkle the soup every few days. 

How Can You Prevent Potato Bugs From Reappearing?

You don’t just want the potato bugs to go; you want them to never return. That’s when the six preventative strategies listed below come in handy: 

Row Covers should be installed.

Using floating row covers to cover the plants is quite effective. They keep bugs away from potato crops by preventing them from smelling and locating them. It also prevents them from immediately assaulting.

If the bugs are already in the soil, it might be dangerous. In such scenario, it’s best to avoid using floating row covers altogether (get rid of the potato bugs first instead).

Rotate your crops.

Some conditions are practically ideal for potato bugs to flourish. Unfortunately, keeping them out of these locations may be difficult. 

You may shift the crops away every year as a one-season solution. Beetles in one region of the garden or soil will not return the following year if the potato plants are rotated. 

Clean the Area on a Regular Basis 

The amount of beetles that come into your yard will be reduced if you keep the garden clean of garbage and dead leaves. Potato bugs may also be found inside your home. 

Get Rid of the Dark Spots 

Potato bugs like to hide behind rocks, planks, boards, and piles of grass and weeds to hibernate. By eliminating these dark, dry, and comfortable areas, you’ll likely avoid attracting potato bugs. 

Allow Roaming Pest Killers

Some insects won’t eat your potatoes, but they will eat the bugs. They prevent beetles from entering the crops and, in many cases, entirely eliminate them. 

Parasitic wasps, tachinid flies, green lacewings, ground beetles, and ladybugs are among these insects. 

Bring the Best Plant Neighbors to the Party

If transporting insects doesn’t seem like a good idea, consider using companion plants instead. These plants not only attract some of the insects mentioned above, but they also repel potato bugs. 

Flowers like nasturtiums and marigolds are among them. Peppermint, sage, cilantro, and catnip are all good options. Large plants, such as bush beans and horseradish, can also deter them. 

Most Commonly Asked Questions (FAQs)

Potato bugs eat what?

They consume the potato plant’s leaves. This reduces the plant’s development by preventing it from receiving sun rays and humidity. 

What causes potato bugs to enter the house?

They may be looking for food or warmth. This is an indication that you have a potato bug problem in your garden. 

Is it true that potato bugs bite?

They won’t bite other insects, animals, or people, so don’t worry. Leaves are the only thing they’ll eat.

Is it true that potato bugs are poisonous?

They aren’t dangerous or deadly in any way. 

Is it true that vinegar kills potato bugs?

Yes, you may kill beetles with vinegar directly on their bodies. 

Conclusion

Learning how to get rid of potato bugs isn’t rocket science, as you can see from the examples above. However, there are so many options that you must be certain of what you’re doing and why.

When you’ve mastered the ins and outs of the procedure, use one of the ways listed above. After that, you’ll have no issue getting rid of those potato bugs in no time.

So, what are you waiting for to control those beetles? 

The “colorado potato beetle chemical control” is a method of killing potato bugs in the house or garden.

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Emil Schoene


Born and raised in Austin, TX I come from a background of home renovation. By helping my family in my younger years with their construction business, I learned the ropes quickly and as I grew it became my passion that I still do today. Looking to share my knowledge with others. I invite you to leave comments on any post as I know you will have questions that you are not finding anywhere else.

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