Colorado potato beetle

Leptinotarsa decemlineata is a common pest of solanaceae crops, especially potato, but also eggplant, tomato, pepper and tobacco. The adults appear from hibernation in May, feed on young leaves for 5-10 days, mate, and then immediately start with oviposition. Over a period of 4-5 weeks, each female lays up to ca. 1,000 eggs in clusters of 20-50 on the undersides of leaves. The larvae hatch 3-14 days later. They molt three times, and the four larval instars last 2-4 weeks. The larvae drop to the soil where they build a round cell up to 20 cm deep to pupate there. Pupation lasts a further two weeks, but the completely-developed beetles stay in the soil at least one more week before emerging. Only a few of them use their ability to fly to find new food sources. There are 1-3 generations each year. In October, the adults burrow 20-40 cm (7.87 – 15.75 inch) deep into the soil, where they overwinter.

Colorado potato beetle resistance profile

Several biochemical mechanisms may contribute to the evolution of insecticide resistance. These mechanisms may act separately or in concert. Known resistances occur in the following classes: Carbamates, Group: 1A Organophosphates, Group: 1B Pyrethroids, Group: 3A Neonicotinoids – Group 4A