Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Major pest of potatoes and related crops. Both adults and larvae feed on foliage and can completely defoliate plants, significantly reducing yields.
Adults are 3/8 inch long, oval, with yellow-orange bodies and 10 black stripes on wing covers. Larvae are red-orange with black heads and two rows of black spots.
Defoliated plants. Skeletonized leaves. Reduced tuber production. Complete plant death in severe cases.
Adults overwinter in soil, emerge in spring when potatoes sprout. Females lay orange-yellow egg clusters on leaf undersides. 1-3 generations per year depending on climate.
Rotate crops (at least 200 feet from previous year's planting). Use resistant varieties. Trap crops of early-planted potatoes. Deep straw mulch.